The Hershey Bears have done it. They won two straight Calder Cups for the first time since 2009 and 2010 in the 100th Calder Cup playoff game at GIANT Center. They took care of business over the Coachella Valley Firebirds in Game 6 with an overtime winner from Garrett Roe to send the sold out record crowd into bedlam. 5-4 would be the final.
Ryan Winterton made it 1-0 Coachella Valley at 1:37 into the opening period. At 5:51 Pierrick Dube struck on the power play for his fifth of the Calder Cup playoffs. Hendrix Lapierre and Joe Snively had the assists.
At 19:24, Hendrix Lapierre scored his seventh goal of the playoffs and he would go on to win MVP of the playoffs. Chase Priskie set him up there. In the second period the Firebirds went back in front at 1:51 from Marian Studenic and Winterton again at 7:59.
Dube would then take over with his second goal of the night coming at 13:52. Limoges and Jimmy Huntington helped there. Dube completed the hat trick at 8:56 with Limoges assisting. It was Dube's seventh of the playoffs.
The Firebirds wouldn't quit as Cale Fleury tied it at 17:05. Matt Strome would come through in the clutch and win it in an incredible moment for the yonger brother of Caps standout Dylan Strome. Riley Sutter and Bogdan Trineyev had the assists there. It was an overtime goal just a minute and six seconds in to give the Bears the Calder Cup.
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Strome cookin
Dylan Strome's brother Matthew, what a moment for him with his older brother in the stands before a record crowd of 11,013 at GIANT Center, per the Bears. Hendrix Lapierre won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player of the Calder Cup Playoffs after leading the Bears in playoff scoring with 22 points in 20 games. That's seven goals and 15 assists and Lapierre was never afraid to set his teammates up for success.
The moment: Lucky No. 13!#RepeatTheRoar |🗣️ @zackfisch pic.twitter.com/vtRleEO839
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 25, 2024
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Lapierre would also tie Joe Snively for the league lead in power play assists with nine and power play points with 11 and Lapierre's 20 points are tied with Josef Marha for the eighth most points by a Hershey Bear in a playoff year.
What's Next
The Bears will celebrate the 2024 Calder Cup championship on Wednesday June 26 at 6 p.m. Doors will open at 5 p.m. and additiional informaion about the festivities will be announced later this week. Check out HersheyBears.com for the latest surrounding that as well as getting your hands on the latest championship gear.