Kraken “Kids”
The Seattle Kraken have an interest in the last remaining professional hockey series for the 2022-’23 season. The American Hockey League affiliate Coachella Valley Firebirds have a 2-1 lead in games on the Hershey Bears in the Calder Cup Final with Game-4 scheduled for Thursday night in Hershey at the Giant Center.
The Bears work with the NHL’s Washington Capitals and are the oldest AHL franchise having been founded in 1938. The Firebirds are in their inaugural season and are the series favorites.
After Coachella Valley won the first two games of the series 5-0 and 4-0 at home at the Acrisure Arena, Hershey won Game-3 in overtime 5-4. That’s where we stand with puck drop this afternoon a little after 4 pm pacific time.
Just For Fun
Here are the other major champs around the world of professional hockey:
As you already know, the Vegas Golden Knights won the Stanley Cup in five games over the Florida Panthers.
In Finland in the Liiga Final, Tappara, one of the two top level teams located in Tampere, defeated the Pelicans, from the city of Lahti, 4-games-to-1 to win the Kanada-malja (Canada Bowl). The series ended back on April 27th.
In the Swedish SHL, yes, that would be the Swedish Hockey League, the Växjö Lakers won their third championship in the past five seasons and their fourth in the last eight by defeating Skellefteå AIK in five games. Seems to be a popular trend in championship rounds in 2023. The Lakers claimed the Le Mat Trophy back on April 24th.
The Russian Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) saw Moscow CSKA win back-to-back titles and claim the Gagarin Cup for the third time in four years. Hockey Hall of Famer and head coach Sergei Fedorov’s team broke from the 2023 norm, taking the full seven games to get the job done over Ak Bars Kazan back on April 29th.
In Czechia, the realm previously known as the Czech Republic, despite finishing 6th in the regular season, HC Ocelári Trinec stormed through the playoffs to win their fourth consecutive title over Mountfield HK in six games. The winners claimed the T. G. Masaryk Cup back on April 28th.
Next door in Slovakia, HC Košice defeated HKM Zvolen in five games, that’s more like it, to claim the Vladimir Dzurilla Trophy. They won the 12-team league and the 10-team playoff back on April 23rd. It was their Extraliga leading ninth championship, but their first since 2015.
In Switzerland, the Swiss National League saw Genève Servette HC, yes, that would be Geneva, win its first ever championship over EHC Biel in seven games.
Finally, the well attended German Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) saw EHC Red Bull München (Munich) beat ERC Ingolstadt in five games back on April 23rd. It was the club’s fourth title.
EHC Red Bull München celebrate a goal en route to a German championship.
Other Recent Stories of Interest:
— Kraken Daily: Road Tougher, Vegas Champs
— Who Kraken Will Pick At The NHL Draft
