Home / News / Hershey Bears beat Coachella Valley 3-2 in Game Four after big nights from Mike Vecchione and Ethen Frank

Hershey Bears beat Coachella Valley 3-2 in Game Four after big nights from Mike Vecchione and Ethen Frank

By Ian Oland

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June 15, 2023 9:36 pm

HERSHEY, PA — After a horror show in southern California, the Hershey Bears have officially made it a series against the Coachella Valley Firebirds. And they were led by their first-line players who have been mostly silent this postseason.

Mike Vecchione scored twice while fellow liney Ethen Frank chipped in another to give the Bears a huge 3-2 victory.

The Calder Cup Finals series is now tied at two games apiece. Game Four is on Saturday at Giant Center. Hershey is two wins away from their twelfth Calder Cup.

Mike Vecchione started the scoring in the first period with a power-play goal 4:27 into the period. Vecchione, in the bumper spot, found a loose puck and shoveled it past goaltender Joey Daccord to make it 1-0.

His roar: epic.

The Bears held the Firebirds to only one shot through the game’s first 10 minutes, but just like they did in Game Three, Coachella Valley answered back quickly. Austin Poganski took a beautiful pass from Shane Wright, the fourth overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, to beat Hunter Shepard far-side to tie.

Mike Vecchione struck again early in the second period to give Hershey back the lead. The two tallies marked his first multi-goal game in the postseason and only his second multi-point performance.

Ethen Frank followed that up with a beautiful bardown goal giving him goals in consecutive games. Literally no goaltender would have stopped this.

Frank had previous gone 11 consecutive games without scoring – his longest goal drought of the year – before finally breaking through in Game Three.

Coachella Valley forward Jesper Froden added a wraparound goal to make it 3-2, but Hershey, powered by several big blocks from Lucas Johansen and several big saves by goaltender Hunter Shepard, would hold onto the victory.

Tonight’s attendance was 10,687 – a sellout.

Headline photo: Tori Hartman/Hershey Bears

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