On Wednesday, May 8, the Coachella Valley Firebirds returned home to Acrisure Arena to take on the Calgary Wranglers in the Pacific Division Semifinals. With a score of 7-5, the Firebirds clinched a two-game lead in the series against the Wranglers.
Here are the Firebirds’ three stars of the game, two takeaways, and one question to lead them into a potential clinching game tonight.
Three Stars
John Hayden
John Hayden earned the third star of the game for his performance. Notably, he kickstarted the Firebirds’ offense by scoring the opening goal, which leveled the game 11:20 into the first period.
This pivotal moment provided the team with a much-needed momentum boost.
Despite his early contribution, Hayden remained relatively quiet until the third period. However, it’s worth mentioning that Hayden consistently demonstrates his effectiveness on the penalty kill. Hayden facilitated a short-handed goal for Marian Studenic at 6:19 of the third period. This set off a spree of three goals in three minutes for Coachella Valley, all on special teams play.
Marian Studenic
During some 4-on-4 action in the middle of the second period, Studenic capitalized on the rebound of an attempt by Connor Carrick. Following the face-off win, Studenic placed himself in front of Wranglers’ netminder Dustin Wolf. His presence seemed to frustrate Wolf, allowing Studenic capitalized on that weakness.
Following Ryan Winterton being sent to the box for interference, special teams were once again out of this game. Studenic gained control of the puck and passed it to Hayden, who started an offensive move to neutral ice.
Max McCormick
Captain Max McCormick secured the win for the Firebirds. Adam Klapka of the Wranglers sat for four minutes during the third period of play. The Firebirds already had momentum after scoring once on the same power play. McCormick made it a 6-4 hockey game off a redirection.
McCormick later put padding on the lead with an empty net goal at the 19:50 mark.
Two Take-Aways
Penalty Kill
During Game Three of this series, the Firebirds faced difficulties on the penalty kill. They found themselves in shorthanded situations seven times, and the Wranglers capitalized four times. What’s concerning is more than just the Wranglers’ ability to score on power plays and the Firebirds’ fatigue as each penalty kill progressed.
Most of the Wranglers’ power play goals came within the last 30 seconds of the man advantage.
Block Wolf
Wolf may be the reigning MVP, but the Firebirds can keep pressure on him in front of the net. Despite his title, Wolf is very small for his position, landing at six feet tall. During Gane Three, the Firebirds blocked his vision of the puck and created tension in front of the net. As a result, their defensive efforts significantly influenced the game’s flow.
One Question
Can the Firebirds close out?
As the fourth game of the series approaches, the Firebirds lead and have the opportunity to advance to the Pacific Division Finals. Coachella must steer clear of penalties and begin the first period with vigor to secure a win.
It’s essential to sustain pressure near the net to generate scoring chances against Wolf. In contrast to game two, which required overtime, the Firebirds claimed victory in game three within regulation time, signaling improvement. Let’s remain optimistic they can build upon this progress in game four.
What’s Next?
The puck will drop for Game Four at 7:00 PM PST at Acrisure Arena. Coachella will move on to the next round with a win in Game Four.
