The Other Trophy Won

It doesn't happen very often, but another team received a major hockey trophy last night as the Stanley Cup was being handed out. After winning two of three games in Palm Springs to return home with a 3-2 series lead, the Hershey Bears wrapped things up last night with a 5-4 overtime victory against the Coachella Valley Firebirds to win their 13th Calder Cup! For the first time since 2009 and 2010 since the Bears won those championships, we have back-to-back championships once again, and the Bears once again cemented their legacy as one of the best AHL franchises of all-time.

A Giant Center record crowd of 11,013 people crowded into the arena where they witnessed Pierrick Dubé score a hat trick to make it 4-3 just before the midway point of the third period as the Bears looked to close out the series. However, a Cale Fleury goal with 2:55 to play would tie things up at 4-4, forcing the dramatics of overtime.

I give you the full overtime period and celebration from last night.

A turnover inside the Coachella Valley blue line off an errant pass allowed the puck to end up on Matt Strome's stick who wired a shot past Firebirds netminder Chris Driedger's glove hand, and the celebration was underway! Take nothing away from Hunter Shepard's save on Cameron Hughes moments before the goal was scored because that save allowed the game to continue. Moments later and for just the 11th time in AHL history, the Calder Cup was won on an overtime game-winning goal as Strome scored at 1:06 in extra time!

Forward Hendrix Lapierre won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs as he led the AHL in playoff scoring with 22 points, including scoring seven points in the final. Head coach Todd Nelson won his third Calder Cup as a head coach and fifth of his career overall. Nelson knew they'd be the hunted as the season opened, but his team rose to the challenge.

"This year we had a target on our back," Nelson said to the AHL's Patrick Williams. "There was a lot more pressure this year to finish it off and win a Cup. We were expected to win, and it would be a crying shame if we didn't finish off the right way."

One has to wonder if the Washington Capitals may look to their AHL club for examples and help when it comes to winning. The Bears have won the Calder Cup for a fifth time since becoming Washington's AHL affiliate back in 2005, and it's hard to argue with their success. Hershey routinely is one of the better AHL teams annually which included a near record-setting regular season this year, but standing atop the podium at the end of the playoffs should have the Capitals looking inward for answers rather than copying other NHL trends.

For Coachella Valley, it's another season where they made it to the final only to come home empty-handed. It may sting a little more this season as well with head coach Dan Bylsma moving up to the Seattle Kraken's bench next season, but the Firebirds remain a talented team for whomever takes over as the head coach. Nonetheless, this one hurt because it seemed like the Firebirds were prepared for the battle.

"This is where I say I'm sorry because we didn't get what we should have gotten," Bylsma said in his press conference following the loss. "I think what those guys did and what those players put out on the ice should have gotten a championship. There's a lot of pride in the last two years. Not getting the end prize is going to leave a mark."

There has to be a victor, though, and the Hershey Bears will celebrate this summer as champions once again. SOme players will move on to NHL teams or join other AHL squads. Some may retire. Some will stay put and make a run a three-peat which would be extraordinary. All of them will be called "champions", though, and that's something that can never be lost.

Congratulations to the 2024 Calder Cup Champions and back-to-back AHL champions, the Hershey Bears!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!