For the third spring in a row the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Calgary Wranglers are squaring off, and Game 1 delivered the kind of drama that has defined their rivalry. Before a small but boisterous week-night crowd at Acrisure Arena, Coachella Valley blew a 3–0 third-period lead, regrouped during two exhausting overtime intermissions, and finally claimed a 4–3 victory two minutes into a third extra frame. It was the second-longest contest in Firebirds history—topped only by another triple-OT win over these same Wranglers in 2023—and it pushed the Firebirds to a perfect 4–0 in postseason overtimes against Calgary.
Fast start … Sudden collapse … Marathon redemption
The opening half of Tuesday’s game looked like a rout in waiting. John Hayden buried a feed from returning sniper Jani Nyman just 3:39 in, then Brandon Biro roofed a pretty finish off a Jagger Firkus pass four minutes later. When Mitchell Stephens jammed home a rebound late in the second period to make it 3–0, the Wranglers appeared gassed by travel and a brutal desert forecheck.
But playoff hockey rarely follows a script. Calgary’s Dryden Hunt found daylight through traffic seven minutes into the third to spark life. Lucas Ciona cut the margin to one with five minutes left, and the visitors pulled their goalie for a furious six-on-five push. With only seven seconds remaining, leading scorer Rory Kerins pounced on a loose puck and stunned the arena, forcing overtime and erasing what had felt like an insurmountable deficit.
Short-memory mantra pays off in triple OT
Head coach Derek Laxdal has preached “short memory” to his group all year, and the Firebirds lived that lesson between regulation and overtime. Rather than dwell on the collapse, they dominated play across the first two extra periods, out-shooting Calgary 22-8 and forcing Wranglers goalie Waltteri Ignatjew into highlight-reel stops.
Rookie netminder Nikke Kokko, making his first professional playoff start, matched every save—none bigger than a sprawling stick robbery on Hunt midway through the first OT. At 12:00 of the third overtime, everything finally tilted Coachella’s way: defenseman Ville Ottavainen sent a low wrister toward the net, Stephens angled his stick for the perfect tip, and 4,330 exhausted fans exploded as the puck slid between Ignatjew’s pads. Relief washed over the Firebirds bench while Kokko raised both arms at the opposite end: 36 saves, first playoff win, and a 1–0 series lead.
Quick stats
- OT Mastery: Firebirds are 4-0 in playoff OT versus Calgary, 5-4 overall in franchise postseason overtime games.
- Stephens Steps Up: Two goals Tuesday after just six in the regular season.
- Attendance Oddity: Only 4,330 witnessed the epic—a franchise low—thanks to midweek scheduling around an arena concert.
- Series History: Coachella has a 7-3 record in playoff games against Calgary across three years.
What to expect in game 2 on Saturday
Calgary’s late rally proved the Wranglers will not go quietly, so Coachella Valley still has plenty to tighten before Saturday night. Foremost is their third-period composure; allowing three goals in the final 13 minutes of regulation nearly squandered home-ice advantage in a best-of-three sprint. The Firebirds also went 0-for-on the power play, an area that has hovered near the league median all season. Encouragingly, their top-five penalty kill (85.2%) continued to erase chances and should remain a strength the rest of the series.
Saturday will also mark the first back-to-back playoff appearance for Kokko; Bylsma must decide whether fatigue is a factor or if newcomer Victor Östman deserves a look after a strong regular-season cameo. Up front, the coaching staff will keep an eye on Nyman, who logged six shots and an assist in his AHL postseason return. One of his patented one-timer goals could prevent another marathon.
The Wranglers will benefit from two days’ rest and the memory that they cracked Coachella’s armor late. The Firebirds counter with confidence earned from a fourth straight overtime victory over Calgary and the knowledge that each time these teams have met in the playoffs, Coachella Valley has moved on.