Photo: Mike Zotek/Coachella Valley Firebirds
the Coachella Valley Firebirds The Hershey Bears slapped, 5-0 in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals Thursday night at Accresor Arena In Palm Desert, California. With the win, the Firebirds take one game without advancing in a best-of-seven series.
The Firebirds struck first with a solid goal midway through the opening segment and took a 1-0 lead going into the first break. Coachella Valley extended their lead to 2-0 with a 4-on-4 goal early in the middle, and held the lead into the second period.
The Firebirds extended their lead to 3-0 less than two minutes into the final period and then added two quick sets midway through the final frame to blow the game wide open. Match 2 will be Saturday night.
Lined up
Hunter Shepard (10-3, 1.85 GAA, .929 sv%) gets the start between the tubes for the visiting Bears. Joey Dacord (12-7, 2.37 GAA, .924 sv%) Got the start in goal for the Firebirds. Bears front lines and defensive pairs:
Mason Morelli – Henrik Borgstrom – Mike Vecchione
Joe Sinville – Connor McMichael – Garrett Bailon
Alexi Brotas – Hendrix Lapierre – Sam Anas
Beck Mallenstein – Riley Sutter – Shane Gersh
Aaron Ness – Logan Day
Gabriel Carlson – Dylan McElrath
Jake Massey Lucas Johansen
Hunter Shepard
Zack Focale
scratches: Ethene Frank (health blow, match 3), Vincent Iorio (injury, day-by-day), Mike Sgarbosa (injury), Bobby Nardella, Henrik Rybinski, Matt Strom, Julian Napravnik, Bogdan Treniev, Ludwig Pearson, Drew Krebs, Alexander Suzdalev.
The first period
Joe Snelly He had the Bears’ best chance at first, stealing a puck from the center ice and taking it on his own, but Daccord was able to close the door.
Good pick and go by Joe Snively, but Daccord shuts it down. #HBH # Squeeze pic.twitter.com/1EWiy2Ced3
– Capitals Horizons (@jon_m_sorensen) June 9, 2023
The Firebirds were given their first power play of the game with about 12 minutes left in the opening frame, and they’re going to take advantage of that opportunity. Ty Karti (6) He achieved the first goal of the series in the power play at 9:02 of the first period. Ugly bird (17) and Ricker Evans (14) He had assistants.
Come on gooooo!!! Lead Birds 1-0 pic.twitter.com/zSZPbrdor2
– x – Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) June 9, 2023
The Firebirds went into the power play for the second time with about four minutes remaining in the period, but this time the Bears penalty kick was up to the task.
The first period ended with a 1-0 win for the Firebirds. Coachella Valley led in shooting 9-5 and was 1-for-2 on the power play. The Bears did not have a man advantage in the first 20 minutes.
The second period
The Firebirds made it 2-0 with a 4-on-4 goal from Will Bateman (5) At 6:54 of the second period. John Hayden (2 f Ricker Evans (15) assists.
Birds on fire 🔥
2-0 USA pic.twitter.com/dfr9cyg6of
– x – Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) June 9, 2023
The Bears were given their first power play with 3:43 left in the middle frame, but were unable to convert.
The Firebirds took a 2-0 lead at the conclusion of the second period. Hershey picked up the shot size in the second half, winning Coachella Valley, 11-9. The Firebirds held the lead in snaps, 18-16 after two periods. Hershey was 0-for-1 and Coachella Valley 1-for-2 on the power play after two periods.
Third period
The Firebirds wasted little time in the final frame to extend their lead to 3-0. Andrew Poturalsky (3) He achieved the third goal for Coachella Valley in the minute 1:59 of the third period. Ugly bird (19) and Ricker Evans (16) He had assistants.
Birds height 3-0🚨🔥 pic.twitter.com/CKThK2v4bN
– x – Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) June 9, 2023
The Bears were awarded their second play of the game at 3:24 of the third period, but the Bears were unable to gap the lead.
The Firebirds scored two quick goals midway through the final frame to blow the game wide open. Jesper Freudin (3) Scored Firebird’s fourth tally at 9:30. Andrew Poturalsky (5) f Brogan Rafferty (5) assists.
We won’t stop pic.twitter.com/3ehM9REw9K
– x – Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) June 9, 2023
The Firebirds soon made it 5-0 with a goal from Alexander is correct (7) At 10:08 of the third period. Max McCormick (11) and Brogan Rafferty (1) He got help.
ALL TOGETHER NOW: TRUUUUEEEEE
We lead 5-0 pic.twitter.com/mSxgrpGgsO
– x – Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) June 9, 2023
This will be the final.
Game 2 will take place Saturday night in the desert. Puck Drop is set to 10 p.m. ET.
Carpentry
- AHL Box Points
- Attendance: 10,087
- Coachella Valley led in strikes, 27-25.
- The Bears were 0 for 3 and the Firebirds 1 for 2 on the power play.
- The loss snaps the Bears’ six-game winning streak going into the 2023 playoffs.
- Coachella Valley is now 10-3 at home compared to 3-4 on the road this postseason..
- In the previous 84 Calder Cup Finals, The winner of the first match has won the trophy 63 times (75%).
- If the Firebirds win the series, they will become the second first-year expansion franchise to win the Cup. Since the American Hockey League began in 1936, the 1977-78 Maine Mariners have been the only franchise to win the Cup in their inaugural season.