Just call him Himmy because Jimmy Huntington is HIM.
The second-line center was the Hershey Bears’ hero in Game 5 of the Calder Cup Finals, putting his team one win away from the franchise’s 13th championship.
Huntington scored two clutch goals, including the game-winner with 3:15 remaining to give the Bears a 3-2 victory.
Huntington’s second goal of the night came after a perfect set up by Alex Limoges, hitting him in stride as he skated down the middle of the ice. The 25-year-old pivot beat Coachella Valley Firebirds goaltender Chris Driedger high to the top corner, sending the Bears into a huge celebration.
Here’s another look at the tally.
Huntington also scored a buzzer beater with 1.3 seconds remaining in the first period with a similar net drive on the rush. That goal tied the game 1-1 going into the first intermission.
“We didn’t have a very good first period,” Bears head coach Todd Nelson admitted postgame. “We were sloppy. They checked really well. They had good sticks, so we couldn’t make passes through them. They were staying over top and it made it very difficult on us. So it wasn’t a very good first period and to get that goal just before the intermission, it was a huge goal for us.”
After the game, Huntington was awarded the Bears Head from Nickey Leivermann as Hershey’s player of the game.
“Boys, I feel unbelievable, but I’m gonna say something here,” Huntington said. “The job is not done. So let’s get that last one.”
The two goals were Huntington’s fourth and fifth tallies of the 2024 playoffs. Three of those lamp lighters have come in the Calder Cup Finals. Game 5 marked Huntington’s first career multi-goal playoff game. Huntington is now tied with four others for fifth in overall AHL playoff points with 13.
Earlier in the day, Nelson called out his team and said the club needed production from more than one line. Joe Snively, Hendrix Lapierre, and Ethen Frank scored all three of the team’s goals in Game 4. Nelson was asked after the Bears’ Game 5 victory how he seemingly always presses the right buttons with his players.
“Well, it’s pretty easy when you watch the game firsthand and then you go back over in video,” Nelson said. “You can see where some players — you have to talk with them and say, ‘Hey, we need more out of you.” Huntington’s line was the line that we talked to today and they responded really well.
“You know what, it’s just them,” he continued. “The guys that have not won a championship know where we’re at right now, how it’s close, but we all understand that it’s the first team to four games. And we haven’t accomplished that yet. But as for pushing their buttons, it’s just like maintenance with anything. [You have to] keep your finger on certain guys, certain lines, and just make sure that they respond.”
The Bears will leave Palm Desert, CA on Sunday and journey back home to Hershey. There, they’ll face the Firebirds for the potential championship-clinching Game 6 at Giant Center Monday at 7 pm. If the Bears can win, they will secure their AHL-record 13th Calder Cup.
“I felt great,” Huntington said to Chocolate Hockey. “It’s just passion. I just want to win for those guys. I’m here, I came to Hershey to win a championship. We had a great season. We just enjoy tonight and tomorrow it’s a new day and we have to be ready for Monday night.”
