Calder Cup Final Game 2 Preview l Hershey Bears vs. Coachella Valley Firebirds

Game 1 Recap:

The first game of the Calder Cup Final took place on Friday night at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. The Coachella Valley Firebirds, representing the Western Conference, narrowly defeated the Hershey Bears, representing the Eastern Conference, with a score of 4-3. In the final minutes of the game, the Firebirds successfully defended against the Bears’ strong offensive efforts, with goalie Chris Driedger playing a pivotal role with multiple game-saving stops. John Hayden and Ryan Winterton each scored two goals for the Firebirds. The Firebirds will aim to maintain their offensive momentum in the upcoming Game 2 on Sunday at 5:00 PM.

Three Stars of Game 1:

1) John Hayden (Coachella Valley): 2 Goals
2) Ryan Winterton (Coachella Valley): 2 Goals
3) Hendrix Lapierre (Hershey): 1 Goal, 1 Assist

Highlights (Game 1):

Game 2 Preview:

In Game 1 on Friday night, special teams played a major role. Hershey had a 1/5 power-play conversion rate, while Coachella Valley went 0/4 on the power-play. Hershey needs to capitalize on opportunities provided by Coachella Valley, especially the power-play, as the Firebirds are strong in 5-on-5 situations. Similarly, Coachella Valley needs to maintain their successful penalty kill and show more discipline against Hershey’s potent offense. Both teams should aim to increase their shots on goal and test the two goaltenders, Hunter Shepard and Chris Driedger, more frequently. Despite missing some key defensemen, Hershey must remain defensively solid against Coachella Valley’s strong offense, particularly their top two lines. Coachella Valley should replicate their Game 1 performance, minus the undisciplined penalties, to seek revenge for last year’s Calder Cup Final loss. Game 2 promises to be an exciting matchup for hockey fans, and we will find out if the series becomes tied at 1-1, or if Coachella Valley can take a 2-0 series lead heading home for Games 3 and 4.

Players to Watch (Coachella Valley):

Chris Driedger: 11-2 Record, 31 GA, 2.37 GAA, 0.923 Save % – 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs
John Hayden: 9 Goals, 3 Assists (12 Points) – 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs
Devin Shore: 5 Goals, 6 Assists (11 Points) – 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs

Players to Watch (Hershey):

Hunter Shepard: 10-5 Record, 35 GA, 2.29 GAA, 0.915 Save % – 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs
Hendrix Lapierre: 5 Goals, 12 Assists (17 Points) – 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs
Joe Snively: 3 Goals, 11 Assists (14 Points) – 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs

Where to Watch/Listen:

Coachella Valley Audio: 106.9 The Eagle | Listen | AlphaMediaPlayer.com
Hershey Audio: ♫ Fox Sports 1460 | Harrisburg – All Sports. All the Time. (iheart.com)
NHL Network (Game 1-2, 4-5, 7)
FOX 43 (Games 3-4 Locally – Hershey, PA)
FOX43.2 Antenna TV (Games 1-2, 5-7, locally – Hershey, PA)
Monumental Sports Network (Washington, D.C. market)
AHL TV

Coachella Valley TV Schedule:

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