The Coachella Valley Firebirds secured a victory against the Calgary Wranglers in the first game of the opening round of the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs. The match, played at Acrisure Arena, ended with a 4-3 scoreline after reaching triple overtime. Mitchell Stephens scored two minutes into the third overtime to give the Firebirds a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series against the Wranglers.
During the first period, the Firebirds took an early lead with two goals. John Hayden opened the scoring with a wrist shot, with assists from Jani Nyman and Logan Morrison. Brandon Biro then extended the lead to 2-0, with Jagger Firkus and Ben Meyers providing the assists. Mitchell Stephens added a third goal before the Wranglers responded with three goals in the third period to level the score.
Dryden Hunt and Lucas Ciona were credited with goals to narrow the gap to one, while Rory Kerins tied the match with a goal seconds before the end of regulation time. The game continued into overtime, where Ville Ottavainen’s shot was tipped in by Stephens for the winning goal after two scoreless overtime periods.
This tense contest became the second-longest in Firebirds’ history, ending at 102:00, just short of another record set in 2023. Nikke Kokko made 36 saves to secure his first career playoff win, while the Firebirds’ special teams went 0-for-7 on the powerplay and 3-for-3 on penalty kills.
Game two of the series is scheduled to take place this Saturday, April 26th, at 6 p.m. PT at Acrisure Arena, as the Firebirds aim to progress further in the playoffs.
The Firebirds are promoting several offers and events to engage fans during the playoffs. These include the “Fired Up Fan Ticket Offer” for discounted tickets, updated hours for the box office and team store, and group ticket discounts. Community pop-up events will feature merchandise, ticket giveaways, and appearances from Firebirds players around Coachella Valley. Additionally, season ticket memberships and premium seating options for future matches are on sale.
Updated information can be accessed through the Firebirds’ official website and their social media channels.
