Hershey Bears Calder Cup Finals schedule announced
HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) – The defending Calder Cup Champions the Hershey Bears will take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds in a best-of-seven, rematch series in the Calder Cup Finals starting on Friday.
The winner of the series will be crowned the 2024 Calder Cup Champions.
The full Calder Cup Finals schedule is as follows (all times in EST):
Game 1 – Friday, June 14 at the GIANT Center, 7 p.m.
Game 2 – Sunday, June 16 at the GIANT Center, 5 p.m.
Game 3 – Tuesday, June 18 at Coachella Valley’s Acrisure Arena, 10 p.m.
Game 4 – Thursday, June 20 at Coachella Valley’s Acrisue Arena, 10 p.m.
*Game 5 – Saturday, June 22 at Coachella Valley’s Acrisure Arena, 9 p.m.
*Game 6 – Monday, June 24 at the GIANT Center, 7 p.m.
*Game 7 – Wednesday, June 26 at the GIANT Center, 7 p.m.
*If necessary
This is the 25th time in franchise history that Hershey will compete for the Calder Cup. Last season, the Bears earned their 12th championship after defeating the Firebirds in overtime in Game 7.
Hershey was down 2-0 in the series and returned home to win three straight games and take the 3-2 series lead. Coachella Valley won Game 6, but the Bears rallied back and took the cup in a thrilling overtime Game 7 victory, courtesy of a Mike Vecchione goal.
This is the fourth time in AHL history that two teams have battled for the Cup in back-to-back seasons. If the Bears can pull off a repeat championship, it will be the first time the club has done so since they won the crown in 2009 and 2010.
Hershey Bears advance to Calder Cup Finals with thrilling overtime victory
How they got here
Bears
After receiving a bye and finishing at the top of the Atlantic Division with a 53-14 regular season record, Hershey defeated the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-1 in the Atlantic Division Semifinals. The Bears then swept the Hartford Wolf Pack 3-0 in the Atlantic Division Finals.
The Bears wrapped up the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday with an overtime Game 7 victory in the Eastern Conference Finals, taking the series against the Cleveland Monsters 4-3 to advance to the Calder Cup Finals.
Firebirds
The Firebirds also received a bye, coming in first in the Pacific Division with a 46-15 regular season record. Coachella Valley topped the Calgary Wranglers 3-1 in the Pacific Division Semifinals and then swept the Ontario Reign 3-0 in the Pacific Division Finals.
The Firebirds punched their ticket to the Calder Cup Finals after going 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Admirals.
The leaders
Bears
Bears center Hendrix Lapierre is tied for the most points in the Calder Cup Playoffs with 15 (4 goals, 11 assists). Lapierre is followed by right winger Ethen Frank (9g, 3a), Chase Priskie (2g, 10a), and Joe Snively (2g, 10a) who all have 12 points.
Frank leads the charge in goals with his team-high of 9.
Goalie Hunter Shepard has played every game in the Calder Cup chase. Shepard boasts a 0.920 save percentage and a 2.16 goals-against average.
Firebirds
Forward Devin Shore leads the Firebirds with 11 points (5g, 6a). John Hayden (7g, 3a), Cale Fleury (4g, 6a), and Andrew Poturalski (2g, 8a) all follow with 10 points.
Hayden’s 7 goals are the most by any Coachella Valley player so far this postseason.
Goaltender Chris Driedger owns a 2.31 GAA and a 0.927 SV%. Driedger has executed one shutout in the playoffs this year.
How to watch
Tickets for Hershey’s home games are now on sale. If you can’t attend in person, all of the games will be streamed on AHLTV.
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