2024 Calder Cup Finals: Game 2, Coachella Valley - 2 at Hershey - 5 (6/16/24)

HERSHEY, Pa. - The Hershey Bears knew that going down 0-2 in the Calder Cup Finals before heading to Palm Springs, California for the next three games would be a monumental task and that they would need a response Sunday night in Game 2.

The Coachella Valley Firebirds controlled large portions of play - particularly in the second and third periods - but the Bears capitalized on what few chances they were able to create, including a giveaway by Firebirds Chris Driedger, on their way to a 5-2 win to even the series.

Ivan Miroschnichenko opened the scoring, Jimmy Huntington and Pierrick Dube tallied second period goals and Hardy Haman Aktell recorded a pair of goals in the third to pace the Bears' attack, while netminder Hunter Shepard stood on his head - stopping 32 of 34 shots he faced.

Luke Henman recorded a game-tying goal early in the second period, and Marian Studenic drew the Firebirds within a goal after his tally on the opening shift of the third, but Aktell's third period tally with 10:15 left in regulation extended the Bears' lead back to two before he finished the scoring with his empty netter.

Chris Driedger stopped 16 of the 20 shots he faced in the loss for Coachella Valley.

The Calder Cup Finals shifts to Acrisure Arena for Games 3, 4 and 5 beginning on Tuesday night at 10 p.m. ET (7 p.m. PT).

GAME STORY

The Bears began Game 2 with an increased sense of urgency and although they were unable to score on a power play opportunity 2:14 into the contest, they found a way to get off on the right foot shortly thereafter when Mike Vecchione stole a Coachella Valley attempted defensive zone clearout just inside the Firebirds' defensive zone blue line.

Vecchione picked off the attempt, side-stepped a Firebirds defender along the right-wing wall and took the puck down low and toward the net before getting it to the the slot for a quick shot from Miroschnichenko that found the back of the net 5:51 into Game 2 to give the Bears the 1-0 lead.

The Firebirds got several quality chances in the opening half of the period, but Shepard was equal to the task - including a big stop on a Marian Studenic shorthanded breakway chance early in the contest.

Coachella Valley seemed to be generating the better chances and controlling large portions of the period, but they still trailed 1-0 heading into the first intermission.

After killing off some brief carryover over power play time to begin the middle frame, the Firebirds went back to work and tied the game up at 1-1 early in the period - with Ryan Winterton displaying a good set of hands weaving the puck in the neutral zone and maintaining possession before centering for Henman for a shot that beat Shepard 2:42 into the stanza.

Hershey had trouble generating much of anything in the opening 13 minutes of the period, registering just one shot on goal, but a heads-up play behind the Firebirds net by Alex Limoges set up Huntington with an empty-net tap in.

Limoges got in behind the net as Driedger was attempting to send a puck around the left wing boards, and the result was a turnover to Huntington and an easy empty net tally to give Hershey a 2-1 lead with 6:59 left before the second intermission.

The goal gave the Bears an obvious lift, and Huntington spearheaded a 2-on-1 rush with Dube just over three minutes later - getting the puck across to the right wing for Dube who just able to get a piece of the puck to get it to go in past Driedger to give Hershey a 3-1 advantage with 3:18 left in the period.

Credit Shepard for making some crucial saves in the second period to keep his team afloat, and a big save in the final minute of the period on Kole Lind to get Hershey to the third period with a two-goal lead.

Coachella Valley wasted no time in the third period, getting a goal from Studenic 17 seconds into the period to make it a one-goal game.

Kole Lind dug free a puck along the right wing wall just inside the Firebirds' offensive zone blue line, getting it down the wall for Shane Wright who nudged it into the right-wing circle for Studenic. Studenic had his initial shot blocked but he stuck with it and dug free his own rebound out of a Bears' defender's skates before taking it to the net and beating Shepard for his third goal of the playoffs.

While the Firebirds dominated much of the middle frame, the Bears rose to the occasion and matched Coachella Valley's desperation level in the third - playing things much more evenly in the final frame.

After Hendrix Lapierre was kicked out of the face-off dot for an offensive zone draw, Vecchione entered and won the ensuing face-off back to Aktell at the center point for a quick blast that eluded Driedger to restore Hershey's two-goal lead with 10:15 left in regulation.

Aktell added an empty netter to complete the 5-2 final score, and despite being outplayed for large portions of the game the Bears found a way to get the job done and get the series evened up at one game apiece.

Coachella Valley Firebirds Lineup Notes

Chris Driedger got the start in net for Coachella Valley in Game 2 of the Calder Cup Finals Sunday. Ales Stezka served as Driedger's backup.

Forward Andrew Poturalski missed Game 2 after being injured in the first period of Game 1 Friday night.

Lleyton Roed made his AHL playoff debut, entering the lineup up front on the fourth line.

Shane Wright, who returned to game action in Game 1 Friday, began Game 2 centering the team's top line in place of the injured Poturalski

Firebirds Scratches: Niklas Kokko, Peetro Seppala, Mitch Reinke, Jani Nyman, Ian McKinnon, Andrew Poturalski, Ty Nelson, Tucker Roberstson, Ville Petman and David Goyette

Lines/Pairings:

Max McCormick - Shane Wright - Kole Lind Cameron Hughes - Logan Morrison - Ryan Winterton Marian Studenic - Devin Shore - John Hayden Lleyton Roed - Luke Henman - Jacob Melanson

Gustav Olofsson - Cale Fleury Ryker Evans - Connor Carrick Jimmy Schuldt - Ville Ottavainen

Chris Driedger (Backup: Ales Stezka)

Hershey Bears Lineup Notes

Hunter Shepard got the start in net for Hershey Sunday, while Clay Stevenson remained the Bears' backup goaltender.

Garrett Roe was injured in Game 1 Friday, and was unable to play in Game 2 Sunday. Matt Strome returned to the Bears' lineup on the fourth line, while Henrik Rybinski moved up to center Hershey's third line in place of the injured Roe.

Bears Scratches: Garin Bjorklund, Mitch Gibson, Nicky Leivermann, Lucas Johansen (injured), Vincent Iorio (injured), Matthew Phillips, Tyson Empey, Ryan Hofer, Aaron Ness (injured), Kevin O'Neil, Jon McDonald (injured) and Garrett Roe (injured)

Lines/Pairings

Joe Snively - Hendrix Lapierre - Ethen Frank Alex Limoges - Jimmy Huntington - Pierrick Dube Ivan Miroschnichenko - Henrik Rybinski - Mike Vecchione Matt Strome - Riley Sutter - Bogdan Trineyev

Hardy Haman Aktell - Dylan McIlrath Jake Massie - Chase Priskie Dmitry Osipov - Logan Day

Hunter Shepard (Backup: Clay Stevenson)

GAME SUMMARY

1st Period

2:14: CV - (PP) Lind, minor (tripping) 5:51: HER - Miroschnichenko (7) - Vecchione 14:42: CV - (PP) Shore, minor (tripping) 17:33: HER - (PP) McIlrath, minor (cross-checking) 18:12: CV - (PP) McCormick, minor (slashing)

2nd Period

2:42: CV - Henman (1) - Winterton 3:01: HER - (PP) McIlrath, minor (interference) 13:01: HER - Huntington (3) - Limoges 16:42: HER - Dube (4) - Huntington, Limoges

3rd Period

0:17: CV - Studenic (3) - Wright, Lind 9:45: HER - Aktell (3) - Vecchione 18:09: HER - (PP) Sutter, minor (tripping) 19:49: HER - EN SH Aktell (4) - unassisted

BOXSCORE

Coachella Valley  0 - 1 - 1 = 2 Hershey Bears   1 - 2 - 2 = 5

Shots

Coachella Valley  12 - 12 - 10 = 34 Hershey Bears   9 - 4 - 7 = 21

Goalies

CV: Chris Driedger (16 saves - 20 shots) HER: Hunter Shepard (32 saves - 34 shots)

Power Play

CV: 0-for-3 HER: 0-for-3

Penalty Kill

CV: 3-for-3 HER: 3-for-3

Post-Game EXTRA!

Video interviews with Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson, Coachella Valley Firebirds head coach Dan Bylsma and Bears players Jimmy Huntington and Hardy Haman Atkell.