For the first time in 33 years, two teams will meet in the Calder Cup finals for the second year in a row as the hershey bears face the Coachella Valley Firebirds beginning Friday night at the Giant Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Last year’s championship series is widely considered one of the best Finals in league history, and culminated with the Bears becoming the first AHL team to win the Calder Cup with a sudden-death goal in overtime in Game 7.
The Eastern Conference champions are in the Finals for the 25th time in franchise history and the seventh time since becoming the Washington Capitals’ top affiliate in 2005. Under head coach Todd NelsonHershey aims to become the 10th repeat champion in league history (Buffalo 1943-44, Cleveland 1953-54, Hershey 1958-59, Springfield 1960-61-62, Rochester 1965-66, Nova Scotia 1976-77, Maine 1978-79, Springfield 1990-91, Hershey 2009-10).
Led by former Stanley Cup-winning head coach Dan BylsmaThe Firebirds, the primary development team of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken, are the fourth club in league history to reach the Calder Cup Finals in each of their first two seasons (Syracuse 1937-38, Nova Scotia 1972 -73, Maine 1978-79). .
The last Finals rematch occurred in 1991, when the Springfield Indians again defeated the Rochester Americans to win their second consecutive championship.
   Calder Cup Finals 2024 Hershey Bears vs. Coachella Valley Firebirds |
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| Game 1 | Friday June 14 | Coachella Valley at Hershey, 7:00 |
| Game 2 | Sunday June 16 | Coachella Valley at Hershey, 5:00 |
| Game 3 | Tuesday June 18 | Hershey in the Coachella Valley, 10:00 |
| Game 4 | Thursday June 20 | Hershey in the Coachella Valley, 10:00 |
| *Game 5 | Saturday June 22 | Hershey in the Coachella Valley, 9:00 |
| *Game 6 | Monday June 24 | Coachella Valley at Hershey, 7:00 |
| *Game 7 | Wednesday June 26 | Coachella Valley at Hershey, 7:00 |
| *if necessary… All times Eastern | ||