The Hershey Bears and Coachella Valley Firebirds engaged in a thrilling showdown in Game 5 of the Calder Cup Finals at Acrisure Arena. The Bears emerged victorious with a tight 3-2 win, pushing the series to a critical Game 6. Jimmy Huntington proved to be the hero of the night, scoring two crucial goals for Hershey.

Coachella Valley started strong, taking an early 1-0 lead in the first period with a goal from Kole Lind at 10:05. However, the Bears quickly responded as Huntington flicked in his own rebound past the Firebirds' goalie, tying the score at 1-1 with only 1.3 seconds remaining in the opening frame.

The third period witnessed a back-and-forth battle between the two teams. Ryan Winterton put the Firebirds ahead 2-1 at 4:43, but Hardy Haman Aktell leveled the score once again at 8:26 with his fifth goal of the playoffs. With just under four minutes left in the game, Huntington sealed the victory for the Bears, snapping his second goal of the night over the shoulder of Coachella Valley's goalie, Chris Driedger.

The upcoming Game 6 at GIANT Center will mark a historic moment as Hershey celebrates the 100th home playoff game on their ice since the building opened in 2002-03. Throughout the years, the Bears have owned an impressive record of 65 wins and 34 losses in their 99 home playoff contests. They have also clinched 14 series victories, including their sixth championship in 2010, on home ice.

However, Hershey will face a challenge in closing out the series, as they have posted a 3-4 record during the 2024 playoffs when in a position to clinch a victory. The Bears overall have a playoff record of 80 wins and 70 losses in games where they have attempted to secure a series victory.

Both teams have shown resilience in the playoffs, with Hershey going 9-2 when scoring first, and 4-4 when allowing the first goal. Coachella Valley boasts an 8-1 record when scoring first and a 4-4 record when surrendering the opening goal.

The offensive firepower for Hershey has been led by the sextet of Hardy Haman Aktell, Jimmy Huntington, Hendrix Lapierre, Joe Snively, Ethen Frank, and Alex Limoges. Each player has contributed five points in the series against Coachella Valley, while Ryan Winterton and Shane Wright have paced the Firebirds with five points each against the Bears.

As the series moves forward, goaltending will play a crucial role. Hunter Shepard holds an impressive .895 save percentage for Hershey, while Coachella Valley's Chris Driedger has posted a solid .861 save percentage. The Bears' power play has operated at a 15.8% success rate against the Firebirds, while their penalty kill has been stellar, killing off 93.8% of penalties. In terms of shots on goal, Hershey has scored 16 goals on 109 shots (14.7%), and Coachella Valley has netted 16 goals on 149 shots (10.7%) in the series.

Ethen Frank has been a standout performer for the Bears, tallying 10 goals in the 2024 playoffs, tying him for the postseason goal-scoring lead. The last time Hershey had a double-digit goal scorer in a playoff year was in 2010, and Frank is currently tied with several notable players for the 10th-most goals by a Bear in a single playoff year.

In Game 6, the Bears will rely on the support of their home crowd as they aim to close out the series against Coachella Valley. GIANT Center has been a fortress for Hershey, and the team holds an impressive 8-5 record in Game 6 of best-of-seven Calder Cup Finals. Both teams have been solid when leading after two periods, maintaining identical 11-0 records in such situations.

Fans are eagerly anticipating the return of Bears defenseman and alternate captain Aaron Ness, who has missed the last nine games due to injury. If he takes the ice in the upcoming game, it will mark his 63rd playoff appearance for Hershey, solidifying his place in franchise history.

With the stage set for the historic 100th home playoff game at GIANT Center, the Bears will look to capitalize on their home-ice advantage and draw inspiration from their previous championship victories. The atmosphere promises to be electric as Hershey aims to secure another title while the Firebirds fight to extend the series to a decisive Game 7.