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.
Game Recap Partner
Full Circle Health and Wellness
Book your appointment here
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.
Game Recap Partner
Full Circle Health and Wellness
Book your appointment here