Kraken AHL affiliate melts Hershey in game 1 of AHL Final

COACHELLA VALLEY, CA - JUN 8, 2023: The Coachella Valley Firebirds vs. Hershey Bears at Acrisure Arena / Calder Cup Finals - Game 1 (Photo by Mike Zitek/Coachella Valley Firebirds)

The team from Chocolate Town melted in the desert heat. 

The Coachella Valley Firebirds, the first expansion team in the AHL to make the Calder Cup Final in 13 years, liquefied the Hershey Bears, 5-0 in game one of the Final before a sellout crowd of 10,087 for the Seattle Kraken affiliate at Acisure Arena. 

A 1-0 series lead means several Kraken prospects are three wins away from a championship. Many played key roles in the win, led by goaltender Joey Daccord’s 25-save shutout. Defenseman Ryker Evans, growing his case to make the Kraken roster next season, delivered three assists and leads all league defensemen in postseason scoring with 19 points in 20 games. 

Kole Lind, leading all playoff scorers with 26 points, also earned three assists. 

Tye Kartye scored his sixth postseason goal with the Firebirds, and ninth counting Stanley Cup Playoff experience, for the game’s first goal with 10:58 left in the opening frame. 

Ville Petman, Andrew Poturalski, Alex True, and Jesper Froden also chipped in with goals for Coachella Valley, who went 1-of-2 on the power play and escaped third period penalty trouble on a pair of minor penalties in the first 12 minutes. 

Game two is Saturday, 7pm PT at Acrisure Arena. 


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