Hershey Bears headed to Calder Cup Final after 3-2 overtime victory over Cleveland Monsters in Game 7
The Hershey Bears are headed to the Calder Cup Final for a second consecutive season. Hershey prevented the Cleveland Monsters from being the fourth team in AHL history to successfully come back from a 3-0 series deficit with a 3-2 overtime win 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 never-say-die Monsters. Hunter Shepard made 42 saves in his 10th victory of the postseason, moving him into fourth place in Hershey’s franchise history in playoff wins (24).
Cleveland got on the board first while on a power play after Riley Sutter tripped Denton Mateychuk in the offensive zone. Trey Fix-Wolansky received a pass at the side of Hershey’s net from Mateychuk, moved to the front of the net, and eventually stuffed the puck by Hunter Shepard.
Fix Wolansky’s goal came with just 58 seconds left in the first period.
Hershey didn’t go into the first intermission down a goal. Logan Day tied the game up 41 seconds after Fix-Wolansky’s goal with a one-time blast from an Alex Limoges pass.
Cleveland’s netminder Jet Greaves and the Monsters’ coaching staff complained to the officials about goaltender interference but the officials 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 biscuit by a screened Greaves.
Dubé sat out three games after being hit in the face by an Ethen Frank shot during Game 3.
James Malatesta tied the game up with 5:52 remaining in regulation. The Monsters forced yet another overtime.
Garrett Roe came up with the clutch, game-winner just after a Bears power play expired.
The Bears will meet up with familiar foes, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, in this year’s Cup Final. The two teams went at it in the 2023 championship series with Hershey coming out on top through Mike Vecchione’s Game 7 overtime goal in California.
Coachella Valley has already arrived in Hershey and they’ve been practicing and taking in the Bears’ games against the Monsters. Hershey is set to host the opening two games of the final series and the Firebirds are now more adjusted to the east coast time zone.
Let’s go Bears! Go get that 13th Cup.
Here are Hershey’s lines from the win:
Projected lineup for Game 7! 📝
Catch the broadcast:
📺 @NHLNetwork, @fox43.2 (Antenna TV), @MonSportsNet (DC region)
🖥️ https://t.co/HaxQBmLCRZ
📻 @FroggyValley, @foxsports1460am, @CapitalsRadio pic.twitter.com/sARq39AuIa— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 12, 2024
