3 Takeaways From the Firebirds’ Second Round Exit to the Abbotsford Canucks

In the semifinals for the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Calder Cup, the Coachella Valley Firebirds faced off against the Abbotsford Canucks. The Canucks took Game 1, and then the Firebirds won Game 2 in overtime. Game 3 went to the Canucks again, and they needed one more to clinch the series win. On Friday, May 9, the Canucks clinched their spot in the division finals with a 2-0 shutout victory over Coachella Valley. 

Firebirds’ Winterton Scored the Only Goal in Games 1 & 3

In Game 1 and Game 3, the Firebirds scored only one goal. Thanks to Ryan Winterton, neither game resulted in a shutout. 

In Game 1 on May 1, Brandon Biro sent the puck across the ice for Winterton in the faceoff dot. He ripped a shot and scored the first goal of the series just a minute and a half into the game. Unfortunately, this was the only goal scored and the Canucks scored three times all in the first to take the victory. 

In Game 3 on May 7, Winterton received a pass from Logan Morrison from across the ice in the third period. He took a shot and scored to bring the Firebirds within one. The Canucks went on to score an empty-net goal, solidifying their win. 

Winterton only played in the semifinals. He was unavailable for Round 1 because he was attending to a family matter. He came back and became a difference-maker, helping his team get on the board and making sure they weren’t shut out.

Firebirds Played Well Under Pressure

In Game 2, the Firebirds forced the game to go into overtime. They scored three goals in the first period, but Abbotsford was quickly making a comeback. The Canucks scored two goals in the second period and two in the third to take the lead. Towards the end of the third period, Ben Meyers scored to tie the game. With no other goals in the final four minutes of regulation, the game headed to OT. 

As Nikita Tolopilo exited the crease to control the loose puck, Luke Henman skated around the boards and stole it from him. Jacob Melanson then gained control of the puck, and while Toloiplo was still out of his net, he shot the puck into the empty net to win Game 2. 

In Round 1, the Firebirds forced Game 1 to go into overtime. While this time around it did not take three rounds of overtime, both overtime games resulted in a win for the Firebirds. When it came down to sudden death, that was when they sprang into action and made sure they came away with the win. 

Firebirds’ First Playoff Exit Before the Final

The Firebirds made it all the way to the Calder Cup Final in their previous two seasons, where they faced off against the Hershey Bears both times. As the Bears forced a Game 5 in their semifinals, the Firebirds are dealt their first playoff exit before the Calder Cup Final since their time in the league began. 

However, the Firebirds should still feel accomplished. They have made it to the playoffs every season since joining the league, setting a precedent for themselves. The Firebirds are a team to watch out for. Abbotsford was just the stronger team this time around. 

The Firebirds are comprised of several strong players, and as the Seattle Kraken look to build their roster for next season, they might want to look at some of the players who have already played in the league for them. Jani Nyman only recorded one assist in six playoff games, but he recorded 44 points in 58 regular-season AHL games and six points in 12 NHL games. Both the Firebirds and the Kraken have a lot of work to do this offseason regarding roster building. 

Firebirds’ Season Is Over; Calder Cup Playoffs Continue

While the Firebirds have been eliminated from the Calder Cup Playoffs, the hunt for the Cup is not over. The matchups are still being finalized, but the division finals will begin next week.