Hershey Bears even up Calder Cup Final with series shifting to Coachella Valley

The Hershey Bears did what they had to do and get a win in at least the first two games on home ice to make this a series. While they dropped Game 1 they had also just gotten to the biggest dance of the AHL less than 48 hours to the start of that one.

Game 1 would see the Bears falter by a final of 4-3 but on Father's Day in Hershey in front of a sold out GIANT Center, the Bears would level the series with a 5-2 payback game.

More Miro Magic

Ivan Miroshnichenko added his seventh goal of the playoffs with a strike at 5:51 off a feed from Mike Vecchione to put the Bears up 1-0. That would be the lone goal of the opening period as the Bears were outshot 12-9 but Hunter Shepard would stop all 12 of them en route to a 32 save performance.

At 2:42 in the second Luke Henman would tie it up for the oppposition. The Bears would respond like they have all spring long and perhaps even all season long with their resiliency.

Roar for more

At 13:01 Jimmy Huntington would give the Bears the lead for good and that was a set up from Alex Limoges at 13:01. That would be Huntington's third of the playoffs. Pierrick Dube added his fourth goal of the playoffs with his fourth at 16:42. Huntington set Dube up for the primary assist which was his eighth apple of the season. Alex Limoges had the secondary there.

In the third period 17 seconds in, the Firebirds got on the board on a goal from Marian Studenic. Hardy Haman Aktell would score twice from there on out with Mike Vecchione assisting on HHA's first goal. It would be his fourth goal of the playoffs and third in just this finals alone.

What's next?

The Bears and Firebirds meet again at 10 p.m. eastern and 7 p.m. if you live out on the west coast on Tuesday June 18. That just so happens to be the same night as the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers from the other side of the country! But here in Washington we're roaring for more Bears wins, three more to be exact to lift the Calder Cup once again.