Put the Coachella Valley Firebirds on the power play at your own risk.
After surrendering nine power-play opportunities to the Firebirds in Game 2, the Hershey Bears largely cleaned up their penalty issues in Game 3, allowing only three man-advantage chances on Tuesday.
But Coachella Valley still scored a pair of power-play goals, including Cameron Hughes’ tally with 4:34 to go in regulation to bring the Firebirds to within 4-3. They eventually tied the game before the Bears won in overtime.
Through 22 playoff games, the Coachella Valley power play is operating at a 20.9 percent clip (18-for-86).
At any given point the Firebirds can roll out the likes of Hughes, Jesper Froden, Alexander True, Max McCormick, Kole Lind, Andrew Poturalski, Tye Kartye, Brogan Rafferty, Ryker Evans, Jimmy Schuldt… The options are many.
Helping to orchestrate the power play has been first-year assistant coach Jessica Campbell. Her background as a skating and skills coach meshes with Coachella Valley power-play units brimming with talent.
“She’s been awesome,” Hughes said. “She’s been an unreal coach. The sky’s the limit for her. It’s been pretty fun to work with her.”
Riley Sutter largely handles Hershey’s more unglamorous tasks.
Anchor what has been an exceptionally good fourth line, one that also features Beck Malenstyn and Mason Morelli. Take a key draw. Kill penalties. Shut down opponents. Chew up minutes.
But those jobs are not unglamorous to Sutter’s teammates, nor do they go unnoticed.
The 24-year-old plays like a typical Sutter, of course. He is part of the extensive Sutter family tree that has dotted pro hockey for more than 40 years. His father, Ron, played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League and then had another 20 years in scouting and player development with the Calgary Flames. Riley’s cousin, Brett, currently captains the Calgary Wranglers.
But Riley got his moment in the spotlight — a very bright spotlight — in Game 3 with his overtime goal. It was one that rescued the Bears from what had been a ferocious Coachella Valley third-period comeback and dominant overtime performance.
The 2018 third-round pick of the parent Washington Capitals is in his fourth season with Hershey, though his first three campaigns had been limited to a combined 89 games. But he stayed healthy and in the lineup this season, dressing for 69 games, posting 12 points (five goals, seven assists), and becoming a reliable option for head coach Todd Nelson.
In keeping with his on-ice brand, Sutter took a low-key approach following the Game 3 victory.
“We’ll go over film the next couple of days and see things we have to correct and go from there,” he said Tuesday night. “But I think there’s a lot of positives that we can build off moving forward.”
― Patrick Williams
