The Play That Won The Hershey Bears’ Their 13th Calder Cup

The Hershey Bears recently beat the Coachella Valley Firebirds to win their 13th franchise Calder Cup and 2nd Calder Cup in back-to-back years. 

Game 6 was an incredible overtime thriller, with Matt Strome (brother of Dylan & Ryan Strome) scoring the OTGWG and Calder Cup GWG. But it was in Game 5 where the Bears positioned themselves in an amazing spot to win the Cup at home in Hershey. 

Let’s rewind a minute.

Coachella Valley took the first game of the best-of-seven series in Hershey, PA. The Bears responded by winning Game 2. The series moved to Palm Desert, CA, and the Firebirds again took the edge in the series 2-1. Once more, the Bears responded by winning Game 4 to tie the series and in the process handed Coachella Valley their first home game loss of the playoffs.

At this point, the Bears had not led in the series. They simply prevented Coachella Valley from pulling ahead in the series by more than 1 game. 

During Game 5 (still in Palm Desert, CA), the Bears utilized a play that yielded them two goals and finally the game advantage in the series.

We’ll nickname the play “The Triple Threat.” 

In the dying seconds of the first period, the Bears capitalized on a Firebirds turnover that Alex Limoges pounced on through neutral ice. Pierrick Dubé and Jimmy Huntington immediately jumped in the play, entering the offensive zone in a diagonal line of 3 Bears players. Because of their speed, the Bears were able to create space for inside position on each of the three Firebirds caught back trying to defend. Jimmy Huntington walked straight down the middle, unobstructed, and scored a phenomenal buzzer beater past goaltender Chris Driedger to tie the game 1-1 with just over 1 second left in the period. 

That wasn't all

But scoring once off this play wasn’t enough. Towards the end of the third period in a 2-2 game that looked like potential overtime, the Bears whipped out the same play and scored their third goal to win Game 5. Huntington gets the goal, with assists by Limoges and Logan Day. Same play. Same zone entry. Same goalscorer. Similar timing within the period. Deja vu, much?

Scoring two goals off this quick, heads-up, “Triple Threat” play put the Bears in a prime position to capture the fourth win at home during Game 6, keeping the Calder Cup in Hershey for one more year.