HERSHEY, Pa. — In a rematch of last year's final, the Hershey Bears kicked off the 2024 Calder Cup Final on Friday but fell short in Game 1, 4-2 against the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
It was a packed house at the GIANT Center, but the super-charged Game 1 crowd was just not enough of an advantage for the Hershey Bears who were just one day removed from a 7-game Eastern Conference Final with the Cleveland Monsters.
The Hershey Bears did get on the board quick with a little bit of luck on their side. Just 1:15 into the game, Joe Snively threw a centering pass in front of the net which banked off the skate of Firebirds defenseman Ryker Evans to find the back of the goal and put the Bears up early 1-0.
However, the Firebirds would respond just over five minutes later under less-than-ideal circumstances. Firebirds John Hayden broke free on a breakaway during a Bears powerplay, beating Shepard to tie the game 1-1.
The Firebirds would then take the lead with just over six minutes left to play in the first period after Ryan Winterton netted the odd-man rush to put Coachella Valley up 2-1.
The first period ended with the Firebirds up by one, and it was not until halfway through the second until the game's fourth goal would be scored. Good puck movement by the Firebirds would lead to a Ryan Winterton's second goal of the game and a 3-1 Firebirds lead.
The Bears responded less than three minutes later to cut the lead in half, 3-2 after Hardy Haman Aktell shot a loose puck that went off the skate of Firebirds defenseman Jimmy Schuldt from point blank to score his second goal of the playoffs.
Just over two minutes later the Firebirds would retake the two-goal lead after John Hayden scored his second of the game with a shot from the bottom of the left faceoff circle to make it 4-2.
It wasn't until under 2 minutes left in the third that the next goal was scored by Bears forward Hendrix Lapierre from the right faceoff dot to cut the deficit to 4-3. The Bears pulled their goalie shortly after but the Firebirds were able to outlast the late Bears offensive surge to win Game 1, 4-3.
The Hershey Bears will return to the GIANT Center for Game 2 at 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 16.
