Matt Strome scored the biggest goal of his professional career on Monday night.
With the Hershey Bears in overtime against the Coachella Valley Firebirds in Game 6 of the Calder Cup Finals, Strome picked up a loose puck in the Firebirds zone and beat goaltender Chris Driedger to make the Bears back-to-back AHL champions. The Cup-winning marker came just 1:06 into overtime.
After firing the puck past Driedger, Strome immediately tossed off all of his equipment and jumped as high as he could before being mobbed by his teammates.
Zack Fisch, the voice of the Bears, had an incredible call on the telecast.
“Trineyev in front, he couldn’t find it,’ Fisch began. “Strome’s got it, in front, HE SCCCOOAAARRRSSS! HE SCCOOOAAARRRSSS! MATT STROME, MATT STROME! THE BEARS HAVE GONE BACK-TO-BACK! THEY ARE CALDER CUP CHAMPIONS!”
The goal was just Strome’s second of the playoffs as he has gone in and out of the lineup due to injuries and players returning from injuries throughout the postseason. When he has played, he’s been a constant fixture on the team’s high-energy fourth line with regular linemates Riley Sutter and Bogdan Trineyev.
Strome was awarded the Bears Head as Hershey’s final player of the game of the season. He placed the final puck on the board tracking the team’s playoff wins.
Strome, the 25-year-old brother of Capitals forward Dylan Strome, signed with the Bears ahead of the 2022-23 season but did not factor into any games during the 2023 run to the Cup. Dylan congratulated his brother in a celebratory tweet postgame.
“MATT STROME OTGWG @TheHersheyBears what a legend,” Dylan wrote. “So well deserved!!!!!!!!”
