Firebirds fall to Wranglers in Game 2; series now even at one game apiece
The Coachella Valley Firebirds will play at least two more games inside Acrisure Arena next week.
That much was uncertain until Friday’s 3-2 loss to the Calgary Wranglers, which evened their best-of-five Calder Cup Playoff series at one game apiece.
Game 3 of the Pacific Division final is scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday at Acrisure Arena. Game 4 will be Wednesday, also at home. A third home game, if necessary, would be played Friday.
The Firebirds won Game 1 in Calgary 6-3 on Thursday.
Back on the ice in Calgary a day later, Connor Zary scored the first goal of Friday’s game with under two minutes left in the first period on a highlight reel powerplay goal. The Firebirds responded 43 seconds later on Kole Lind’s third goal of the series and league-leading seventh goal of the postseason. Shane Wright and Luke Henman assisted on the play.
The Wranglers regained the lead at the 1:44 mark into the second period after a shot rang off the post from Jeremie Poirier and came right to Jakob Pelletier. Pelletier made scored on the rebound to make it 2-1.
The Firebirds came up empty on three powerplay opportunities in the second period and entered the final period playing from behind.
Calgary extended its lead at 3:44 of the third period on a tip-in by Brett Sutter from a shot by Kristians Rubins. Gustav Olofsson pulled Coachella Valley within one with a steal at the blueline and a wrist shot through traffic at 7:59. The goal was Olofsson’s first of the postseason and made it 3-2.
Coachella Valley pulled its goaltender Joey Daccord for a 6-on-5 in the final minutes but could not cash in with the extra attacker.
Daccord made 24 saves in the loss. Coachella Valley’s powerplay went 0-for-4 and the penalty kill went 1-for-2.
Calgary and Coachella Valley finished the American Hockey League regular season in first and second place, respectively, in total points in the league standings. Their playoff series now becomes a best-of-three with all three games being played inside Acrisure Arena.
Andrew John covers the Coachella Valley Firebirds for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Calder Cup Playoffs: Firebirds lose Game 2 in Calgary, series now even
