Game 7 of the Calder Cup final was won by Hershey Bears 3-2 over expansion Coachella Valley Firebirds thanks to a rebound goal by Michael Vecchione at 16:19 of overtime.
As the Washington Capitals’ top affiliate overcame a 2-0 deficit to tie it in the second period, Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre scored. Hunter Shepard made 45 saves.
As the only head coach to win two Calder Cups with two different teams, Todd Nelson is joining Bun Cook and John Paddock in winning two Calder Cups.
In the Firebirds’ first season since the 2010 Texas Stars, Ryker Evans and Max McCormick scored for Coachella Valley, with goaltender Joey Daccord making 35 saves.
On Andrew Poturalski’s pass from behind the goal, Evans scored at 4:41 of the first period. With 24 seconds left in the second period, McCormick scored his 14th playoff goal off a cross-ice feed from Kole Lind and beat Shepard through the legs. Evans assisted on the goal.
McMichael scored a power play goal with 6:08 left in the second period with McCormick off for tripping. Mason Morelli got the puck across the crease for McMichael to jam in. With 2:51 left in the period, Lapierre tied it up by tipping Vincent Iorio’s long shot past Daccord.
