Wranglers rally from 4-0 down to beat Eagles 7-5 in finale
Calgary erased a 4-0 deficit and scored seven of the final eight goals to defeat Colorado 7-5 in the season finale.
Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers
LOVELAND, CO — The Calgary Wranglers closed their season with a comeback that turned into a touchdown on the scoreboard, erasing a 4-0 deficit to defeat the Colorado Eagles 7-5.
Colorado controlled the opening stretch and built a 3-0 lead in the first period. Gavin Brindley opened the scoring on the power play, Luke Toporowski followed off passes from Bryan Yoon and Cooper Gay, and Jacob MacDonald added another power-play goal late in the frame.
The Eagles extended the lead to 4-0 just 14 seconds into the second period when T.J. Hughes scored, with Brindley and Hank Kempf on the play.
From there, the momentum shifted.
Brennan Othmann put Calgary on the board at 1:51 of the second, finishing a setup from David Silye and Clark Bishop. Daniil Miromanov followed at 3:35, and Nick Cicek brought the Wranglers within one at 10:42, both goals coming off work from Rory Kerins and Dryden Hunt.
Colorado responded through Ronnie Attard to make it 5-3, but Calgary answered again before the period ended. Bishop scored at 16:13 off a play from Sam Morton and William Strömgren to cut the deficit to one heading into the third.
The Wranglers completed the comeback in the final period.
Parker Bell tied the game at 5:04 with Carter Wilkie picking up the assist, and Martin Frk gave Calgary its first lead at 7:54 on the power play, finishing a play set up by Hunt and Kerins.
Frk added an empty-net goal at 19:08, his 30th of the season, to secure the 7-5 win as Calgary scored seven of the game’s final eight goals.
Arsenii Sergeev made 44 saves on 49 shots for a .898 save percentage, handling steady pressure from Colorado throughout.
Calgary closes the regular season with one of its most dramatic wins of the year, turning a four-goal deficit into a seven-goal finish on the scoreboard.
Canucks blank Wranglers 4-0 behind Young’s shutout
Calgary generated chances but ran into a perfect night from Ty Young as Abbotsford capitalized early and never looked back.
Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers
CALGARY — The final home night of the season at the Saddledome ended quietly for Calgary, as the Abbotsford Canucks rode a perfect performance from Ty Young to a 4-0 win over the Wranglers on Saturday.
Neither side entered the night bound for the postseason, but Abbotsford found early control and never let it go, matching Calgary at 57 points with the victory.
Riley Patterson opened the scoring just 3:51 into the first, taking open ice off the rush before snapping a shot glove-side past Connor Murphy from the top of the circle. Patterson, playing just his second game of the season, added an assist later in the period for a two-point night.
Abbotsford doubled the lead at 9:33 on the power play after Brennan Othmann was sent off for delay of game. Bennett Schimek’s shot from the slot was kicked out by Murphy, but Arshdeep Bains was left unchecked and buried the rebound for his 11th of the season. Patterson picked up the secondary assist after setting up Schimek in tight.
The Canucks carried a 2-0 lead through the opening frame and held it through a quieter second period, with Calgary pushing back on the shot clock. The Wranglers held a 14-13 edge in shots after 40 minutes, but Young remained flawless, turning aside every attempt.
Dino Kambeitz extended the lead to 3-0 just over five minutes into the third, tracking down a loose puck at the blue line and carrying across before sending a shot toward goal that struck Murphy and deflected up and over his shoulder. It was Kambeitz’s second of the season, with Nick Poisson credited on the assist.
Calgary’s best push came late in the period, including a four-minute power play after Bains caught Dryden Hunt up high, but Young shut the door. He flashed the glove to rob Hunt at the side of the net and preserve the shutout.
Bennett Schimek sealed it with an empty-net goal with 17 seconds remaining, finishing off a four-goal night for Abbotsford that came on just 20 shots.
Young stopped all 24 shots he faced for a 1.000 save percentage, while Murphy turned aside 16 of 19 shots for Calgary, finishing at .842 before the empty-netter.
Scoring summary:
Riley Patterson (1) — Arshdeep Bains (13)
Arshdeep Bains (11) — Bennett Schimek (6), Riley Patterson (1) (PP)
Dino Kambeitz (2) — Nick Poisson (6)
Bennett Schimek (4) — Jujhar Khaira (6) (EN)
Calgary wraps its home schedule with the loss and closes the regular season next weekend in Colorado, with 7:05 p.m. MT starts on Friday and Saturday.
Wranglers fall late as Canucks rally for 5-4 win
Clark Bishop marked his 500th AHL game with a two-goal, one-assist night, but Calgary’s 4–2 lead slipped away as Abbotsford scored three in the third, including a late winner, to take a 5–4 decision at the Saddledome.
Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers
CALGARY — A milestone night for the captain turned into a late collapse, as the Abbotsford Canucks erased a two-goal deficit and stunned the Calgary Wranglers 5–4 with a third-period surge at the Saddledome.
Clark Bishop, skating in his 500th American Hockey League game, delivered early and often. Early in the first, Arsenii Sergeev robbed Danila Klimovich with a diving stop on a wraparound to keep the game scoreless. Then the Wranglers captain opened the scoring at 11:31 of the first period after Carter Wilkie forced a turnover behind the Abbotsford net and fed Bishop alone in the slot. Bishop went high glove to make it 1–0 Calgary, a lead they carried through 20 minutes.
The second period opened with pace and chances at both ends. Arsenii Sergeev turned aside a breakaway from Nils Åman moments after a Calgary power play, but Abbotsford broke through at 4:44 when Bennett Schimek finished a backhand setup from Sawyer Mynio, with Arshdeep Bains adding the secondary assist to tie the game 1–1.
Calgary responded with its special teams.
On the power play, Bishop struck again at 6:24, banging home a rebound at the top of the crease after a Gavin White point shot, with William Strömgren adding the second assist. Minutes later, the Wranglers went back to the man advantage and Rory Kerins finished a cross-crease feed from Dryden Hunt to extend the lead to 3–1.
Abbotsford answered to keep it close. Danila Klimovich buried a rebound at 14:34 off a Jimmy Schuldt shot, with Åman recording the secondary assist to make it 3–2. But Calgary regained control late in the frame when David Silye scored his third of the season at 18:52, finishing a slick pass from Bishop, with Brennan Othmann also picking up an assist, restoring a 4–2 lead heading into the third.
Then it unraveled.
Ben Berard cut the deficit to one at 4:13 of the third with an unassisted backhand finish, and the ice began to tilt. Klimovich struck again at 17:14, tying the game 4–4 with assists from Schuldt and Åman as Abbotsford continued to push.
The decisive moment came in the final minute. Sergeev made a sprawling right-pad save but lost his blade on the play and could not recover to his feet. Moments later, a turnover at the blue line led to an open look, and Berard capitalized with 37.9 seconds remaining, scoring his second of the night unassisted to complete the comeback and give Abbotsford a 5–4 win.
Abbotsford outshot Calgary 42–28, including a dominant 15–4 margin in the third period. Calgary finished 2-for-3 on the power play, while Abbotsford went 0-for-1 but generated its offense at even strength when it mattered.
In goal, Sergeev stopped 37 of 42 shots for an .881 save percentage. At the other end, Ty Young turned aside 24 of 28 for an .857 mark, but held firm as the momentum shifted late.
Bishop led Calgary with two goals and one assist in his milestone night, earning first-star honours. Berard’s two third-period goals drove the comeback as the second star, while Klimovich’s two-goal effort rounded out the three stars.
Calgary, coming off a strong weekend in Laval and closing in on the end of its regular season home slate, will get an immediate chance to respond Saturday night in the rematch with Abbotsford before heading on the road to finish the campaign in Colorado.
Wranglers erupt for five-goal second, snap skid in Laval
Down 1-0, Calgary erupted for five goals in under nine minutes, led by a four-point night from Rory Kerins.
Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers
LAVAL, QC — The Calgary Wranglers snapped an eight-game skid in emphatic fashion Friday night, exploding for five second-period goals in a 5-2 win over the Laval Rocket.
After falling behind early, Calgary delivered its most dominant stretch in weeks, scoring five times in under nine minutes to completely flip the game.
Laval opened the scoring at 5:32 of the first period, as Owen Beck finished a play set up by Sean Farrell and David Reinbacher.
From there, it was all Calgary.
At 3:49 of the second, Rory Kerins tied the game, finishing a feed from Lucas Ciona.
At 6:55, William Stromgren gave Calgary the lead, with assists from Kerins and Daniil Miromanov.
Kerins struck again at 10:46, extending the lead to 3-1, converting passes from Dryden Hunt and Nick Cicek.
At 11:46, Martin Frk added another, with Kerins and Cicek picking up the assists.
Just 34 seconds later at 12:20, Sam Morton capped the surge, finishing a play from Frk and Ciona to make it 5-1.
Laval got one back late in the second at 18:28, as Tyler Thorpe scored with assists from Luke Mittelstadt and Josh Nadeau, but the damage was already done.
Rory Kerins finished with a four-point night (2G, 2A) and was named first star. Martin Frk (1G, 1A) earned second star honours, while Thorpe was named third star for Laval.
Calgary outshot Laval 29-18, including a decisive 16-shot second period. In goal, Arsenii Sergeev stopped 16 of 18 shots for a .889 save percentage.
Both teams were held scoreless on the power play, with Calgary going 0-for-4 and Laval 0-for-1.
Calgary will look to carry that momentum into a rematch Saturday afternoon.
Wranglers fall 2-1 to Eagles as Makar scores late winner
Rory Kerins scored in his return from injury and Arsenii Sergeev stopped 34 shots, but a late third-period goal from Taylor Makar lifted Colorado past Calgary at the Saddledome.
Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers
CALGARY — The Calgary Wranglers dropped a 2-1 decision to the Colorado Eagles on Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Saddledome, undone by a late third-period goal after holding the game level through 40 minutes.
Taylor Makar scored twice for Colorado, including the winner at 16:41 of the third period, finishing a play from Gustav Stjernberg and Ivan Ivan to break the deadlock.
Makar opened the scoring at 5:38 of the first period off a setup from Stjernberg and Danil Gushchin, but Calgary responded just over four minutes later.
Rory Kerins, returning to the lineup, tied the game at 10:08 of the first with his 18th of the season, finishing a sequence created by Gavin White and Justin Kirkland.
The game settled into a tight, low-event second period with no scoring, setting up a third where Calgary generated pressure but could not convert.
Colorado capitalized on one of its late opportunities, and Calgary was unable to solve Trent Miner again down the stretch.
Arsenii Sergeev kept the Wranglers within reach throughout, stopping 34 of 36 shots for a .944 save percentage. Miner turned aside 31 of 32 shots for Colorado.
Gavin White’s assist extended his recent run to four points in his last three games.
Calgary finished with 32 shots while Colorado recorded 36. Both teams went scoreless on the power play, with the Wranglers finishing 0-for-2 and the Eagles 0-for-3.
The Wranglers now head east for a two-game set against the Laval Rocket, marking the first time the franchise will play in Laval. Puck drop is set for Friday at 5:00 p.m. MT.
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Wranglers fall 6-3 to Eagles in Friday matinee
Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers
CALGARY — The Calgary Wranglers battled back in the second period but dropped a 6-3 decision to the Colorado Eagles on Friday afternoon at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Colorado set the tone early, controlling play through the opening 20 minutes and building a cushion that Calgary spent the rest of the afternoon chasing.
The Eagles jumped out to a 9-2 shot advantage before Maroš Jedlička finished a 3-on-1 rush high glove side to open the scoring. Tye Felhaber added another later in the period, tapping in a backdoor feed to make it 2-0.
Calgary answered late in the frame when captain Clark Bishop sent a puck toward the slot that deflected off a defender and past Trent Miner, cutting the lead to 2-1. The response didn’t hold for long. Alex Barré-Boulet restored a two-goal edge before the break, finishing a cross-slot pass to give Colorado a 3-1 lead after one.
Despite being outshot 19-4 in the first, the Wranglers found a push in the second.
After Danil Gushchin made it 4-1 on the power play, Calgary responded with back-to-back goals. Sam Morton snapped a shot glove side from the top of the circle, and Turner Ottenbreit finished a clean three-way passing play to pull the Wranglers within one at 4-3.
That was as close as it got.
Colorado’s power play delivered again late in the period, with Jack Ahcan drifting into space and beating Ivan Prosvetov at 13:47 of the second to extend the lead to 5-3.
The Eagles carried a 29-13 shot advantage through two periods and added one more goal in the third. Tristen Nielsen scored on the power play at 9:30, with Ahcan and T.J. Tynan picking up the assists to make it 6-3.
Miner finished with 22 saves on 25 shots (.880) for Colorado, while Prosvetov turned aside 40 of 46 shots (.870) for Calgary.
The Wranglers showed life in the middle frame, but the early deficit and Colorado’s power play proved too much to overcome.
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Frk scores four, Calgary’s Uchacz lifts Henderson past Wranglers 6-5
A five-goal first period set the tone, but a second-period swing and two goals from Calgary native Kai Uchacz proved decisive as Henderson held off a late push.
Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers
CALGARY — Martin Frk scored four times, but the Calgary Wranglers were edged 6-5 by the Henderson Silver Knights in a game defined by an explosive opening and a momentum shift through the middle frame.
The pace was immediate. Three goals came in the first 1:19, with Henderson opening the scoring before Frk responded twice to give Calgary an early lead.
Frk added a third later in the period to complete his hat trick, while Raphael Lavoie scored twice for the visitors as the Wranglers carried a 3-2 edge into the intermission.
Henderson took control in the second. Mitch McLain tied the game on the power play midway through the period, and Kai Uchacz put the Silver Knights ahead late in the frame. Uchacz, a Calgary native, had noticeable support in the building and continued to influence the game as it progressed. The Silver Knights extended their lead early in the third. Jeremy Davies scored 57 seconds in, and Uchacz added his second of the night on the power play to make it 6-3.Calgary pushed late.
Captain Clark Bishop cut the deficit to two at 14:18, and Frk followed just 23 seconds later with his fourth goal of the night to bring the Wranglers within one.
The equalizer, however, never came.
Frk finished with four goals, while Uchacz recorded two in his return to Calgary.
Ivan Prosvetov made the start for the Wranglers, stopping 28 of 34 shots.
The teams meet again Thursday night in Calgary.
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Moose defeat Wranglers 4-2 despite Calgary’s 46-shot effort
Calgary drove play for long stretches and fired 46 shots on goal, but timely finishing and strong goaltending from Thomas Milic helped Manitoba skate away with a 4-2 win. Justin Kirkland’s late first-period power-play strike and Carter Wilkie’s first of the season pulled the Wranglers level twice before the Moose broke through in the third period.
Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers
CALGARY — Despite heavily outshooting the opposition, the Calgary Wranglers fell 4-2 to the Manitoba Moose on Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Manitoba opened the scoring late in the first period when Isaak Phillips netted his eighth goal of the season at 14:57, assisted by Brayden Yager.
Calgary answered in the closing seconds of the period. Justin Kirkland scored his 10th of the season on the power play at 19:27, with Daniil Miromanov and Dryden Hunt picking up the assists to tie the game 1-1 heading into the first intermission.
The Moose reclaimed the lead in the second period when Jaret Anderson-Dolan scored his ninth goal of the season at 11:11, assisted by Danny Zhilkin and Colby Barlow, giving Manitoba a 2-1 advantage after 40 minutes.
Calgary drew even early in the third period. Carter Wilkie scored his first goal of the season at 4:59, with Alex Gallant and Nick Cicek recording the assists to make it 2-2.
Manitoba regained the lead midway through the period when Dylan Anhorn scored his second goal of the season at 14:23, assisted by Parker Ford and Nikita Chibrikov.
David Gustafsson sealed the game with an empty-net goal at 18:57, his 10th of the season, with Parker Ford and Mason Shaw collecting the assists.
Despite the loss, Calgary generated sustained pressure and finished the game with a 46-37 advantage in shots on goal.
Manitoba goaltender Thomas Milic stopped 44 of 46 shots for a .957 save percentage, earning second-star honours.
At the other end, Arsenii Sergeev made 33 saves on 36 shots for a .917 save percentage, a performance that should help lift his season goals-against average and save percentage as he continues to settle into the crease for Calgary.
Dylan Anhorn was named the game’s first star after scoring the eventual game-winning goal. Milic was named the second star, while Alex Gallant earned third-star honours.
The Wranglers return to action Tuesday night when they host the Henderson Silver Knights at Scotiabank Saddledome. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. MT.
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Firebirds strike three times in second period to defeat Wranglers 4–1
Calgary stayed level through one period before Coachella Valley tilted the afternoon with a three-goal surge in the middle frame. Justin Kirkland scored the Wranglers’ lone goal on the power play while Ivan Prosvetov handled a heavy workload in net. Calgary now sits six points outside of a playoff spot with 15 games remaining.
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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Wranglers rally late but fall 4-2 to Firebirds in 40-shot effort
The Calgary Wranglers pushed the pace all night and outshot the Coachella Valley Firebirds 40-21, but a second-period surge led by Lucas Ciona and Dryden Hunt was not enough in a 4-2 setback in Palm Desert. Calgary controlled possession and generated chances throughout, yet Firebirds goaltender Nikke Kokko delivered a standout performance at Acrisure Arena.
Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers
PALM DESERT, Calif. — After falling behind 3-0 midway through the second period, the Calgary Wranglers responded with back-to-back goals from Lucas Ciona and Dryden Hunt to cut the deficit to one, but ultimately fell 4-2 to the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Saturday night at Acrisure Arena.
Calgary controlled stretches of play and finished with a 40-21 advantage in shots but could not solve Firebirds goaltender Nikke Kokko, who stopped 38 attempts to help secure the win.
Coachella Valley opened the scoring at 7:19 of the first period when Logan Morrison recorded his 25th goal of the season, finishing a play set up by Jani Nyman and Gustav Olofsson.
The Firebirds extended the lead early in the second period. Nyman made it 2-0 just 56 seconds into the frame with assists from Morrison and Jagger Firkus, and Firkus added another at 8:48 off a feed from Nyman and Morrison to push the advantage to three.
The Wranglers answered late in the period with a surge. Ciona put Calgary on the board at 18:29 after a pass from Clark Bishop, and Hunt followed just 27 seconds later with his 15th of the season, finishing a play from Bishop and Hunter Brzustewicz to pull Calgary within one heading into the third.
Gustav Olofsson restored a two-goal cushion for Coachella Valley at 8:38 of the third period with assists credited to Oscar Fisker Molgaard.
Arsenii Sergeev made the start for Calgary and stopped 17 of 21 shots for an .810 save percentage.
Kokko finished with 37 saves on 40 shots for a .949 save percentage and was named the game’s third star. Morrison, who recorded a goal and two assists, earned first-star honours, while Nyman was named the second star.
The Wranglers return to action Sunday afternoon for a rematch with the Firebirds in Palm Desert. Puck drop is scheduled for 4 p.m. MT.
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Wranglers Rally, Fall in Six-Round Shootout to Abbotsford
Calgary erased a two-goal deficit in the third period before falling 3–2 in a six-round shootout to Abbotsford, outshooting the Canucks 38–19 and collecting a point with 17 games remaining in the regular season.
Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers
CALGARY — The Calgary Wranglers erased a two-goal deficit Sunday afternoon at Scotiabank Saddledome but fell 3–2 in a six-round shootout to the Abbotsford Canucks, earning a point in a game with Pacific Division playoff implications.
Calgary entered the day three points outside a top-seven playoff spot in the division and pushed this one to the limit before settling for a single point.
Abbotsford opened the scoring at 2:04 of the first period. Danila Klimovich snapped a loose puck blocker-side shot for his ninth of the season. Chase Wouters recorded the assist to make it 1–0.
Joe Arntsen extended the lead at 9:59 of the second after Chase Stillman found the defenseman joining the rush down the left side. Arntsen beat Arsenii Sergeev under the glove for his second of the year, with Nils Åman adding the secondary assist to make it 2–0.
Calgary responded late in the third. Aydar Suniev cut the deficit at 14:27, wiring a shot from the right side near the top of the circle to beat Young for his 13th of the season and his third goal in four games. Dryden Hunt and Turner Ottenbreit collected the assists.
Just 1:24 later, Justin Kirkland tied it at 15:51 after Daniil Miromanov’s pass slid underneath the goaltender directly to Kirkland, who was waiting on the other side. He made no mistake from in close, scoring his sixth of the season. Martin Frk added the secondary assist.
Calgary finished with a 38–19 edge in shots.
Overtime carried urgency. William Stromgren broke in alone and appeared to slide the puck across the goal line while being hauled down, crashing into the goaltender in the process. The play was waved off, and the extra frame continued. Both netminders held firm through a series of odd-man chances, sending the game to a shootout.
The shootout extended six rounds before Jett Woo sealed it for Abbotsford.
Sergeev stopped 17 of 19 shots for a .895 save percentage. At the other end, Young turned aside 36 of 38 for a .947 mark.
The Wranglers have now gone beyond regulation in six of their last 10 games and 23 times this season. Sergeev made his second straight start Sunday, while Dryden Hunt has recorded two points in two games since returning from injury.
With 17 games remaining and division rivals in action later Sunday, including Henderson hosting Colorado and Tucson visiting San Jose, the Pacific Division playoff race remains fluid.
Calgary earned a point. The chase continues.
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Sergeev Stops 40, Frk Hits 20 as Wranglers Fall 3–2 in Shootout to Abbotsford
A four-goal third period sent the game to a shootout, where Sergeev’s 40-save effort and Frk’s 20th goal were not enough as Calgary fell 3–2 at the Saddledome.
(Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers)
CALGARY — A four-goal third period sent Friday’s matchup to a shootout, where the Calgary Wranglers fell 3–2 to the Abbotsford Canucks at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Arsenii Sergeev stopped 40 of 42 shots for a .952 save percentage, and Martin Frk tied the game midway through the third with his 20th goal of the season, reaching that mark for the fourth consecutive AHL campaign.
The point moves Calgary to within three points of a Pacific Division playoff spot as the stretch drive continues.
Abbotsford broke through 52 seconds into the third period when Ben Berard scored his 12th of the season. Calgary responded quickly. Sam Morton tied the game at 3:36, finishing off a play set up by Dryden Hunt, who recorded his 27th assist in his return to the lineup.
Lukas Reichel restored Abbotsford’s lead at 9:28 of the third before Frk answered again at 11:13, wiring his 20th goal of the season off feeds from William Strömgren and Justin Kirkland.
Neither side converted in overtime, sending the game to a shootout. Abbotsford converted on both of its attempts to seal the extra point.
Jiří Patera stopped 32 of 34 shots for the Canucks, posting a .941 save percentage in the victory.
Calgary’s penalty kill units went 1-for-1, while they finished 0-for-3 on the power play.
The two clubs meet again Sunday afternoon at the Saddledome.
Barracuda answer quickly, defeat Wranglers 4-2 in Calgary
Calgary erased a two-goal deficit in the second period, but the tie lasted only 25 seconds as San Jose responded immediately and pulled away late.
(Photo by David Moll / Calgary Wranglers)
San Jose Barracuda struck early and responded immediately when challenged, defeating Calgary Wranglers 4-2 Wednesday night at Scotiabank Saddledome.
Patrick Giles opened the scoring shorthanded at 4:00 of the first period, and Mattias Havelid extended the lead at 7:12 as San Jose built a 2-0 cushion through 20 minutes.
Calgary pushed back in the second.
Aydar Suniev cut the deficit in half on the power play at 4:25, and just over three minutes later the Wranglers pulled even on a rush that began deep in their own zone. Etienne Morin disrupted play with a kick and poke forward to spring Ryan Chyzowski up ice, creating a 2-on-1 with Suniev as a passing option. Chyzowski kept it, snapping a top-shelf shot to the glove side past Gabe Carrier at 8:07 to make it 2-2.
The tie lasted 25 seconds.
Oliver Wahlstrom restored the Barracuda lead at 8:32, swinging momentum back to San Jose almost immediately. Egor Afanasyev added insurance at 2:14 of the third period, finishing a sequence from Kasper Halttunen and Jimmy Huntington to seal it.
Chyzowski’s goal highlighted the scoring touch he has displayed this season with Rapid City of the ECHL, where he has 22 goals in 41 games. Wednesday marked his first AHL appearance of the year.
By the numbers
Calgary finished 1-for-4 on the power play (.250) and was perfect on the penalty kill, holding San Jose scoreless on three opportunities (1.000).
San Jose outshot Calgary 38-24, generating double-digit shots in each period. Ivan Prosvetov made 34 saves on 38 shots for Calgary (.895 save percentage).
Afanasyev, who recorded a goal and an assist, was named first star. Huntington earned second star with two assists, while Chyzowski was recognized as third star for Calgary.
Suniev’s goal marked back-to-back games with a tally, while Chyzowski scored in his Wranglers debut.
Barracuda Rally Past Wranglers with Four-Goal Third, 5-3
Calgary carried a 3-1 lead into the third period behind goals from Aydar Suniev, Rory Kerins and Nick Cicek before a four-goal surge from San Jose flipped momentum late at Scotiabank Saddledome. Kerins recorded a multi-point night as the Wranglers opened a four-game homestand against the Barracuda.
Photo: David Moll / Calgary Wranglers
CALGARY — A strong two-period effort slipped away in the third as the San Jose Barracuda scored four unanswered goals to defeat the Calgary Wranglers 5-3 at Scotiabank Saddledome in the opener of a four-game homestand.
Calgary opened the scoring early when Aydar Suniev tucked away his 11th goal of the season just 2:10 into the first period, assisted by Sam Morton and Carter King. Lucas Carlsson answered late in the frame to send the teams to intermission tied.
The Wranglers regained control in the second. Rory Kerins restored the lead at 5:18 off a setup from Clark Bishop, and Nick Cicek extended it at 14:00 with a wrister from the blue line through heavy traffic, beating a screened Laurent Brossoit. William Strömgren and Kerins collected assists as Calgary carried a 3-1 advantage into the third. Kerins finished with a multi-point night, recording a goal and an assist.
San Jose shifted momentum early in the final period. Braden Hache cut the deficit to one at 3:19, and Anthony Vincent tied the game less than two minutes later before adding his second of the night at 10:49 to give the Barracuda their first lead. Carlsson sealed the comeback with an empty-net goal at 19:23.
Despite limiting San Jose to 9 shots against in the third, Calgary could not halt the momentum swing, surrendering control of a game they had dictated through much of the first two periods.
Arsenii Sergeev made 25 saves on 29 shots (.862) for Calgary, while Laurent Brossoit stopped 28 of 31 shots (.903) for San Jose.
The Wranglers return to Scotiabank Saddledome tomorrow night for the second half of the weekend set against the Barracuda.