Firebirds strike three times in second period to defeat Wranglers 4–1

Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers

PALM DESERT, Calif. — A scoreless opening period gave way to a decisive middle frame Sunday as the Coachella Valley Firebirds scored three times in the second period to defeat the Calgary Wranglers 4–1.

Both teams traded chances through the opening twenty minutes but neither side found the breakthrough.

Coachella Valley opened the scoring 2:27 into the second period when Eduard Šalé finished a play set up by Oscar Fisker Mølgaard and Lukas Dragicevic.

Calgary answered midway through the period. Justin Kirkland tied the game 5:39 into the frame, converting on the power play for his seventh goal of the season.

The tie lasted less than two minutes.

At 7:32, Kaden Hammell restored the Firebirds lead with assists from John Hayden and Mitchell Stephens, and Coachella Valley extended the advantage again at 12:28 when Logan Morrison scored his 26th goal of the season off passes from Jani Nyman and Jagger Firkus.

Šalé added his second of the afternoon into the empty net at 17:53, assisted by Lleyton Roed and Ty Nelson, sealing the 4–1 final.

Coachella Valley outshot Calgary 36–16 in the game.

Firebirds goaltender Victor Östman stopped 15 of 16 shots for a .938 save percentage, while Wranglers netminder Ivan Prosvetov made 32 saves on 35 shots (.914).

Calgary finished 1-for-4 on the power play, while the Wranglers penalty kill denied all four Firebirds opportunities.

Earlier in the day, the Calgary Flames recalled forward Matvei Gridin and defenceman Hunter Brzustewicz from the Wranglers.

Gridin has recorded 10 goals and 29 points in 37 AHL games this season and has also appeared in 18 NHL games with the Flames, posting three goals and seven points.

Brzustewicz has played 18 games for the Flames this season, registering one goal and two points, while contributing four goals and 14 points in 34 games with the Wranglers.

With the regular season entering its final stretch, Calgary now sits six points outside of a playoff spot in the AHL’s Pacific Division with 15 games remaining, keeping the Wranglers within striking distance of the postseason as the schedule winds down.

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