The Hershey Bears defeated the Coachella Valley Firebirds in Game 5 of the Calder Cup Finals on Saturday, taking a commanding 3-2 lead in the series. Now Hershey is headed home in style as they try to repeat as champions.
Waiting for them at Palm Springs International was Bears Force One — which once again was the New England Patriots’ charter plane. The Boeing 767 is painted in red, white, and blue colors and features the the NFL team’s wordmark on the sides. The franchise’s six Lombardi Trophies are emblazoned as graphics on the tail.
The players seemed giddy as they got the same ride as one of the most elite franchises in football.
Mike Vecchione, a native of Saugus, Massachusetts, may have been the most excited taking time for a personal photo as he walked up to the door. The scorer of last year’s championship-winning goal put his index finger in the air and smiled.
“He was pretty ecstatic about it,” Riley Sutter said.
FOX43’s Ed Albert reported that the Bears and Firebirds departed at practically the same time on Sunday afternoon as the two teams will play Game 6 at Giant Center on Monday night.
Both @TheHersheyBears & @Firebirds are leaving for HIA around the same time this morning @fox43 pic.twitter.com/Tasyo3OfZE
— Ed Albert (@ealbert410) June 23, 2024
The Bears also flew on the Patriots’ plane ahead of traveling out for Games 3, 4, and 5 out in Palm Desert, California.
“To find out late that the families were coming and then late news it was the Patriots plane, and then after a big win and driving up and seeing it — yeah, it was a really cool experience,” Bears captain Dylan McIlath said after riding the plane a first time to FOX43. “It was very humbling feeling knowing that the organization really has our back and wants to take care of us. It was really special.”
“Our front office was on it,” Bears head coach Todd Nelson added. “Charter jets are at a premium so we ended up getting the Patriots jet which is outstanding. It was big enough to accommodate our families.
“It works well from a business perspective, a hockey coach perspective, but it’s awfully nice the commitment that they made to all of us and our families.”
