PALM DESERT, Calif. — This is the moment many of the Hershey Bears players have been waiting for... a chance to win the Calder Cup.
They begin the final series Thursday versus the Coachella Valley Firebirds at 10 p.m. on FOX43.
The Bears are coming off of an Eastern Conference Finals victory over the Rochester Americans, four games to two. Now, they only have four games standing between them and the Calder Cup.
Bears forward Mike Vecchione says it's tough facing the Firebirds, having not seen them all series.
"You base it off of video, film, previous games you've played against players," Vecchione said.
The Firebirds are a first-year team as an affiliate of the NHL's Seattle Kraken.
Last season, the Kraken had some of the current Firebirds with the Charlotte Checkers, a Hershey divisional opponent.
"We have a little bit of an idea on a couple of the guys, but they're a completely different team this year. So, we just have to stick to our game," Vecchione said.
Historically, Game 1 has big stakes.
In the 84 times that the Calder Cup has been contested, the winning team of Game 1 has gone on to win the Cup 63 times (75%).
Good odds, but far from a sure thing.
Last season, current Bears forward Sam Anas and the Springfield Thunderbirds took Game 1 against the Chicago Wolves, only to lose the series in five games.
The Bears also lost the first two games of the 2010 Calder Cup Finals at home before going on to win four straight against the first-year Texas Stars to claim their most recent championship.
Hershey is 11-12 all-time in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals and holds an 8-3 series record in years in which it has won the opening match.
Quick Notes:
-Hershey will look to extend its road playoff win streak of six games tonight. The Bears are a perfect 6-0 on the road going into the championship round, matching a franchise record shared with the 2006 Bears, which ultimately went 8-3 on the road, and the 1988 Bears, which finished the postseason with a 6-0 road win as part of an overall 12-0 record to win the title. The AHL playoff record for most consecutive road victories in a single postseason belongs to the 1998 Philadelphia Phantoms team, which won its first nine road games en route to a championship.
-Hershey head coach Todd Nelson looks to add to his legacy of success. A Calder Cup win for Nelson with the Bears would give him his second career Calder Cup title as a head coach, after previously winning the championship with Grand Rapids in 2017. In doing so, Nelson would become just the 12th head coach in league history to win multiple Calder Cups, joining former Bears bench bosses Frank Mathers (3) and John Paddock (3); Nelson would join Paddock and Fred “Bun” Cook as only the third head coach in league history to win Cups with different teams.
Tonight's officials:
- Referees: Morgan MacPhee (#43), Carter Sandlak (#47)
- Linespersons: Dan Kelly (#98), Joseph Mahon (#89)
You can watch tonight's game on FOX43. Puck drop is 10:08 p.m.
The game is also being simulcast on NBC Sports Washington in the D.C., Maryland, and Virginia areas.