The Hershey Bears are headed to the Calder Cup final for the second straight season. Hershey prevented the Cleveland Monsters from becoming the fourth team in AHL history to successfully come back from a 3-0 series deficit with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 7 on Wednesday night.
The Bears got goals from Logan Day, a returning Pierrick Dubé and Garrett Roe to finally push them over the line against the Monsters That Never Die. Hunter Shepard made 42 saves in his 10th postseason victory, moving him into fourth place in Hershey franchise history in playoff wins (24).
Cleveland got on the board first on a power play after Riley Sutter tackled Denton Mateychuk in the offensive zone. Trey Fix-Wolansky received a pass from Mateychuk on the side of the Hershey net, moved to the front of the net and eventually stuffed the puck with Hunter Shepard.
Fix Wolansky’s goal came with 58 seconds left in the first half.
Hershey didn’t make it to the first intermission trailing by a goal. Logan Day tied the game 41 seconds after Fix-Wolansky’s goal with a one-timer off a pass from Alex Limoges.
Cleveland goalie Jet Greaves and the Monsters coaching staff complained to the referees about the goalie interference, but the referees ruled that Jimmy Huntington was pushed into Greaves.
Pierrick Dubé celebrated his return to the lineup with a power-play goal just 4:14 into the second period. The Frenchman picked up a loose puck in the slot after Joe Snively saw a shot blocked and fired the cookie by Greaves.
Dubé missed three games after being hit in the face by a shot from Ethen Frank during Game 3.
James Malatesta tied the game with 5:52 left in regulation. The Monsters forced another overtime.
Garrett Roe came up with the crucial moment, the game-winner just after a Bears power play expired.
The Bears will face familiar foes, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, in this year’s Cup final. The two teams met in the 2023 championship series and Hershey prevailed thanks to Mike Vecchione’s goal in overtime in Game 7 in California.
Coachella Valley has already arrived in Hershey and they have been practicing and enjoying the Bears vs. Monsters games. Hershey will host the first two games of the finals series and the Firebirds are now more suited to the East Coast time zone.
Go Bears! Go get that thirteenth drink.
Here are Hershey’s lines of victory:
Projected Lineup for Game 7! 📝
Watch the broadcast:
📺 @NHLRed, @fox43.2 (TV antenna), @MonSportsNet (DC region)
🖥️ https://t.co/HaxQBmLCRZ
📻 @FroggyValley, @foxsports1460am, @CapitalesRadio pic.twitter.com/sARq39AuIa– Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 12, 2024