Calder Cup Playoffs: Firebirds' playoff schedule set for first series
The Coachella Valley Firebirds came within a goal of winning a championship in their inaugural season in 2022-23, losing in overtime of Game 7 of the Calder Cup Finals to the Hershey Bears. A year later, they're back and ready to remedy the way last season ended.
The Firebirds will begin their quest for the Calder Cup this week, following a first round bye for having the best record in the American Hockey League's Western Conference. The Firebirds will face the Calgary Wranglers in a best-of-five series.
"This team's journey and where we're at and the excitement of the playoffs and the chance to win a Calder Cup is all about this team," Firebirds head coach Dan Bylsma said. "But you can't look to the end and forget the journey and the battle that it's going to take to get there."
Playoff schedule
The Firebirds will face the Calgary Wranglers. The Firebirds elected to play the first two games of the series on the road.
Friday, May 3: at Calgary, 6 p.m. (AHLtv)
Sunday, May 5: at Calgary, 3 p.m. (AHLtv)
Wed., May 8: Calgary, 7 p.m. (AHLtv)
x-Friday, May 10: Calgary, 7 p.m. (AHLtv)
x-Sunday, May 12: Calgary, 3 p.m. (AHLtv)
This season against Calgary
Calgary Wranglers
Firebirds’ 2023-24 record versus the Wranglers: 6-2-0-0
Results
Nov. 11: Wranglers won, 4-1, in the Coachella Valley
Jan. 1: Firebirds won, 6-1, in Calgary
Jan. 2: Firebirds won, 3-1, in Calgary
Jan. 19: Firebirds won, 4-3, in the Coachella Valley
Jan. 31: Firebirds won, 4-3, in the Coachella Valley
Feb. 1: Firebirds won, 5-2, in the Coachella Valley
March 26: Firebirds won, 7-3, in Calgary
March 27: Wranglers won, 2-0, in Calgary
Playoff overtime format
One thing to remember about playoff hockey is that there are no longer any shootouts. That's the one in-game difference between the regular season and the postseason. Instead, teams will play a 5-on-5, 20-minute sudden-death overtime period. So, the first team to score wins.
If neither team scores in the first overtime period, the game will extend into a second overtime period, then a third, and so on, until a team finally scores.
Last May, the Firebirds won the longest game of the season in the AHL, which lasted nearly five hours, when Ryker Evans scored the game-winning goal over the Calgary Wranglers in Game 3 of their Calder Cup Playoff series.
Tickets
Tickets are on sale now at the Acrisure Arena box office, which is open on event days from 10 a.m. until an hour before the event. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone, by dialing 1-888-695-8778 or 1-760-835-8778, or on the Firebirds’ website at cvfirebirds.com.
Andrew John covers the Firebirds for The Desert Sun and the USATODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Calder Cup Playoffs: Firebirds' to meet Calgary Wranglers
