The Firebirds defeated the Calgary Wranglers in game one by a score of 6-3 to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series. Kole Lind netted a pair of goals and Cameron Hughes added four assists in the Firebirds’ victory.
Coachella Valley got out to a quick 2-0 lead on goals by Luke Henman (1:48) and Jeremy McKenna (4:39). McKenna and Henman each assisted on each other’s goals to give them both a multi-point game less than five minutes into the game. The Wranglers cut the Firebirds’ lead in half with a powerplay goal from Jakob Pelletier.
Max McCormick put home a pass from Alexander True to regain the two-goal lead for Coachella Valley. The padding was short-lived as Dryden Hunt put home a rebound off Joey Daccord at 8:19 of the first period to pull Calgary within one.
The Firebirds struck just 35 seconds into the second period on powerplay goal from Kole Lind to make it 4-2. McCormick and Hughes earned the helpers on Lind’s fifth of the postseason. Calgary cut the lead to one goal after a tally from Adam Klapka at 6:04.
Carsen Twarynski extended the Firebirds lead after putting a puck through Dustin Wolf on a scramble in the crease. Hughes and Ville Petman teamed up for the helpers on the goal that chased Wolf out of the game for backup netminder Oskar Dansk.
Kole Lind made quick work with another powerplay goal on the first shot against Dansk to give Coachella Valley their first three-goal lead of the game at 9:11 of the second period. Hughes picked up his fourth assist of the game on Lind’s second goal of the game.
Joey Daccord made 32 saves in the victory. Coachella Valley’s powerplay finished 2-for-3 and the penalty kill went 2-for-3.
Read the game’s full box score HERE.
NEXT GAME: The Firebirds and Wranglers square off for game two of the best-of-five series tomorrow night at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB. Puck drop is slated for 6:05pm PT.
Head out to the Spotlight Showroom at Spotlight 29 Casino for a FREE watch party! Enjoy tomorrow night’s game with fellow Firebirds fans, get some prizes, and see Fuego! Doors open at 5:00pm PT and all ages are welcome.
Season tickets for the Firebirds’ 2023-24 campaign are on sale now! For a full list of benefits and more information on Season Ticket Memberships for the 2023-24 season, click HERE or call 760-835-8778.
Original source can be found here.