It’s easy to forget that forward Jimmy Huntington wasn’t with the Hershey Bears at this time last year. In his first year as a Bear, Huntington has quickly become a leader and a fixture in the lineup. After a career year in the regular season, Huntington left his mark on the Calder Cup Finals in a 3-2 win in a pivotal Game Five. In his eyes, the job is not done, but his performance helped the Bears take a series edge back home from the desert.
Clutch Time
Both of Huntington’s goals happened in clutch situations. His first tally counted with three-tenths of a second left in the first period. On a passing play with Alex Limoges and Pierrick DubĂ©, Huntington directed a pass on goal. He drove the net and quickly flicked the rebound past Chris Driedger. The goal got the Bears to intermission with a tied score rather than a deficit.
In the third, both teams were looking for a hero after trading goals. Hardy Haman Aktell provided an answer to an early goal from Ryan Winterton. The series lead hung in the balance of the third period, and Huntington answered the call to be the hero. Limoges made another excellent play to find him with space over the blue line. Huntington made no mistake by lifting a shot to the opposite corner for the lead. The goal happened with only 3:15 on the clock in regulation, and the Bears locked the lead down the rest of the way.
The Hunt is On
Huntington’s performance gives him five points (three goals, two assists) in five games of the Calder Cup Finals. In addition to besting his previous points in the regular season, Huntington’s playoff performance is his career best. Overall, Huntington has 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 19 playoff games after Saturday’s game.
Despite being excited about the win, Huntington and the Bears know it takes four to win the series. The team was aware of it from the moment the clock hit zero, and know they have a huge opportunity at home.
“I want to win for those guys,” Huntington said. “I’m here, I came to Hershey to win a championship. We had a great season, just enjoy tonight and tomorrow it’s a new day. We have to be ready for Monday night.”
“The job is not done.”
Cooper’s Corner Returns
Huntington got a boost before the game in the return of his friend, Cooper. Huntington formed a bond with Cooper and his dad during his time with the Milwaukee Admirals. As soon as it was confirmed that the Bears would be returning to Hershey for Game Six, Cooper’s dad made arrangements to get there. Cooper and his family made the trip to Hershey earlier in the season, and now the goal is to get one more win.
“I keep in touch with his dad and him,” Huntington said when asked about it. “It’s going to be really fun; he’s going to be down the bench by the glass. We’ll keep our tradition going and hope we win the Calder Cup when he’s here.”
During Cooper’s last visit, Huntington scored the game-winning goal against the Syracuse Crunch in the regular season. The news seemed to power him up before that game and had a similar effect in Game Five. It’s one more storyline to watch for the Bears with contributions coming up and down the lineup at just the right time.
Prepared for War
Despite the obvious excitement about having the opportunity to win the Calder Cup at home, Todd Nelson isn’t sitting back. Hershey’s bench boss knows that Dan Bylsma’s bunch are going to find another gear on the road. His club will need to be prepared to match the effort.
“”In the games we won, the five-on-five stats don’t look good for the Hershey Bears,” Nelson said after the game. “You have to give credit where credit is due. (Coachella Valley) is playing some really good hockey. I know they have a whole other gear, that’s what I expect in Game Six. As for us, there’s no secret weapon we have that exposes anything they do. We got a few bounces with our wins, and we have to be better in Game Six. It’s all going to even out in the end, it always does.”
It’s a similar situation to the one the Bears were in a year ago. That time, the Bears took a 3-2 series lead on the road but needed seven games and overtime to win the series. Returning to their home ice, the Bears have the rare opportunity to win the Calder Cup at home. Even in Hershey’s storied history, it’s a rare accomplishment. The Bears last won at home back in 2010, and prior to that it was 30 years in 1980. Hershey has two chances to get the job done.
Game Six is set for Monday night at 7:00 PM EST from Giant Center.
