The Hershey Bears, AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, defeated the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Wednesday, with a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 7.
Despite being down 2-0 in the series, and 2-0 in the final game, the Bears came back in the second period, and forced overtime before Mike Vecchione ended it. It was their first championship since 2010.
The two Hershey goals in regulation were scored by Capitals draft picks Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre, both in the second period.
Vecchione scored the Calder Cup-clinching goal 16:19 into overtime, while Henrik Borgstrom and 2022-23 AHL All-Rookie team member Ethen Frank recorded the assists.
Bears goalie Hunter Shepard notched 45 saves in the contest and was named playoffs MVP and received the Jack Butterfield Trophy.
Hershey has won its fourth Calder Cup since becoming the top development affiliate of the Capitals in 2005-06, with Hershey also winning in 2006, 2009, and 2010. The Capitals and Bears were previously affiliated for seven seasons from 1977 to 1984, including Hershey’s 1980 Calder Cup championship.
Nine Bears that were dressed for Game 7 also appeared in games with the Capitals this season, including McMichael, Aliaksei Protas, Vincent Lorio, Lucas Johansen, Beck Malenstyn, and Herndon, Virginia native Joe Snively.
Snively led Hershey in playoff scoring with 15 points (2g, 13a) in 20 games.
This was only the second time the Calder Cup Final was decided in overtime, after Cleveland beat Pittsburgh way back in 1953. This was also the longest Game 7 in Calder Cup Finals history.
After going 44-19-5-4 in the regular season, Hershey went 14-6 in the postseason, making it past the Charlotte Checkers, Hartford Wolf Pack, and Rochester Americans en route to the Finals.
This was also the second Calder Cup victory for Bears head coach Todd Nelson; his first was with Grand Rapids in 2017.
YOU ROARED FOR US. WE ROAR FOR YOU. pic.twitter.com/SWejK1Igwu
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 22, 2023
