Bears Return to Coachella Valley with a Forgetful Game 3, Fall to Firebirds 6-2
Quick Hits:
While Coachella Valley got out quick to a 2-0 lead Hershey would work their way back to a tie at 2-2 early in the second. From that point on it was an all out barrage on Hunter Shepard who ended up being called to the bench.
Coachella Valley Captain Max McCormick scored a hat trick and the Firebirds Shane Wright skated almost flawlessly on the night in the win as CV takes a 2-1 series lead.
How it went down
It was an ugly start to Game 3 for Hershey and while it got better briefly, it ended worse than the actual start for the Bears.
First shift of the game Hershey was sent to the box for an incorrect starting line-up. That’s right, a wrong lineup.
The Firebirds wasted no time as CV captain Max McCormick slammed home a loose puck that was behind Hunter Shepard.
McCormick was at it again from close proximity as Shane Wright shuffled one to Max who was all alone in front of Shepard for the 2-0 lead.
Hershey rebounded though just about two minutes later as Miro and Rybinski had a 2 on 1 break with Miro sliding one just past a stick and Rybi slicing the puck back wide of the Coachella netminder to cut the deficit to 2-1.
At this point the game was pretty even. Shots are a story line in this series and after 20 minutes they were 10-9 in favor of the home team.
Hershey started the second period with a power play and cashed in right away. After wasting their first power play chance with a game of pass the puck, this time they decided to put it on net and something good came out of it when Alex Limoges deflected an Ethen Frank shot from the point. The goal was the Penn State alum’s fourth of the post season.
From this very moment this game was all Firebirds. Their offense and puck control was like a screaming trans-am on an open freeway. In the second period CV registered 23 shots. The Bears had just six. Hershey tallied just 24 on the night.
As Shepard tried to stand on his head, the Bears netminder was pounded with shot after shot after shot. Lleyton Roed who was in the line-up due to injury finally broke the tie as he tickled the twine with his first Calder Cup Playoff goal.
Later on, Ryan Winterton lifted a puck over Shep as Hershey failed to clear the rubber as they went into the final 20 of this with a 4-2 game.
Shane Wright ended any hope of Hershey comeback as the Bears attempted to find their legs. Wright, one of the best players on the AHL ice, finished off his three point night.
That ended Shepard’s night and speaking of three, Max McCormick added his third of the night by putting away an empty netter from his own zone.
Coachella Valley is unbeaten at their house that rocks. It is going to be a challenge for the Bears to get one of the next two, but do it and they have a fighting chance on home ice.
The next chance is Thursday night in the desert.
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