Tuesday’s AHL Calder Cup Playoff Referees and Linesmen:
2023 Calder Cup Final
Coachella Valley Firebirds vs. Hershey Bears
Game 3 – 7:00 PM ET
Referee: Justin Kea #44*
Referee: Carter Sandlak #47*
Linesman: Mitchell Hunt #62*
Linesman: Joe Mahon #89*
This is Kea’s first game of the 2023 Calder Cup Final; Sandlak worked Game 1 (CV W 5-0) alongside ref Morgan MacPhee.
Kea handled a pair of Game 3s in the Conference Final, refereeing Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Final between the Hershey Bears and the Rochester Americans (HER W 4-2) as well as Western Conference Final Game 3 between the Coachella Valley Firebirds and the Milwaukee Admirals (CV L 1-3).
Referee Carter Sandlak saw quite a bit more action in the Conference Finals, handling Amerks/Bears Game 1 (HER L 1-5), Game 4 (HER W 4-2), and Game 6 (HER W 1-0), as well as Game 6 of the Western Conference Final (CV W 4-3).
Sandlak’s 16 games are the most worked by any referee this postseason. That includes both of the series-deciding Games 6 in the Conference Finals, as well as the quarterfinal series-clinchers for Amerks/Marlies (Game 3), Admirals/Stars (Game 5), and Firebirds/Wranglers (Game 5).
Prior Calder Cup Playoff Games:
Justin Kea #44
Round 1: CV/COL Game 2, MIL/MB Game 2, PRO/HFD Game 3, TOR/UTC Game 4
Round 2: CV/CGY Game 2, MIL/TEX Game 3, CGY/CV Game 5^
Round 3: HER/ROC Game 3, CV/MIL Game 3
Carter Sandlak #47
Round 1: UTC/TOR Game 1, TEX/RFD Game 1, COL/CV Game 3, MB/MIL Game 3, PRO/HFD Game 4
Round 2: CV/CGY Game 1, TEX/MIL Game 2, TOR/ROC Game 3, CGY/CV Game 5^, MIL/TEX Game 5
Round 3: ROC/HER Game 1, HER/ROC Game 4, HER/ROC Game 6, MIL/CV Game 6
Round 4: HER/CV Game 1
* NHL/AHL Official
^ Game featured both of tonight’s refs
