Now that's how you close a team out. Firebirds jump on Calgary early, advance with ease
Now that's how you close a team out.
The Coachella Valley Firebirds dispirited the Calgary Wranglers early with their best period of the AHL playoffs and controlled the game throughout to earn a thorough feel-good 3-0 victory on Friday night, the kind they haven't had in the postseason so far.
It would've been hard to draw up a better game for the Firebirds, not just in getting a comfortable win and ending the Pacific Division semifinal series quickly, but in how the game script played out with a couple key developments in particular.
Chris Driedger was impeccable in net, coming up with a pair of dynamic saves in the first period to set the tone. And this came after a game where he was not his sharpest. He sort of played it down in the post-game media scrum, giving the old "some days the puck hits you and some days it doesn't" routine, but this was a special outing.
Firebirds eliminate Calgary with Game 4 shutout, will face Ontario Reign for division crown
And the crowd appreciated it, too, giving Driedger the ultimate compliment — chanting his name. Just like the "Jo-ey! Jo-ey!" chants for last year's goaltending hero Joey Daccord. For the first time, the Acrisure Arena was ringing with the chants of "Drie-dger! Drie-dger!" and he said that meant something to him.
"It's the first time I've witnessed something like that, and it's pretty special," Driedger said. "These fans have been unbelievable since day one. Really just incredible to see how the fans have embraced our team. Especially since it's a melting pot of fans from different backgrounds. We're definitely lucky, and we definitely heard them rocking tonight."
The team's young guns had their best game of the postseason on Friday night as well. After three games where it was the veterans carrying the team, the youth troop joined the fray on Friday. Shane Wright picked up his first goal of the postseason, cashing in a breakaway after being fed by Cameron Hughes with one of the best passes you'll see.
But Wright wasn't alone. Ryan Winterton was zooming around the ice causing havoc, Jacob Melanson was camped out in front of the net all night, and Logan Morrison was pressing the issue with his line as well.
All in all it was a perfect closeout game. And Firebirds fans likely remember that during last year's run to the Calder Cup Finals, the closeout wins didn't come easy.
With four of the five series the team played going the distance, last year showed that the desperate team usually wins these games. During last year's playoff run, there were five equivalent games where one team was in position to be eliminated and the other was not. The team on the brink of elimination — sometimes it was the Firebirds, and sometimes it was the opponent — won four of those five games.
That's what made Friday night's win so impressive. This was thorough. The offense was buzzing, the defense was stout and the crowd was frenzied. After living through four winner-take-all playoff games last year, it was nice to not be pushed to another one in the opening series this year.
So it's onto the next round. Three wins down, 11 wins to go. Next up is the Ontario Reign with a best-of-5 series starting Wednesday at Acrisure Arena.
The Firebirds will enter the series having just played their best game, riding a goalie brimming with confidence and featuring a team with a depth of talent you just don't see, high-scoring leaders, wily veterans and young stars combining to provide many answers to the tough questions the postseason can ask.
Coach Dan Bylsma was asked if he's thought ahead to what a series against Ontario would be like, and he had a funny, yet honest answer.
"A good coach would say 'No,'" Bylsma said before admitting that, yes, with Ontario already having clinched the spot, he had considered what a series against them would be like. He then talked about their physical play and how this will officially cement the rivalry the two teams have brewing. "I think it was important for us to close this one out tonight. So now we can fully focus on the next series."
The fans can now join Bylsma and turn their attention to the Reign. If Friday night's Firebirds show up every night, there will be even more closeout opportunities ahead this spring.
Shad Powers is a columnist for The Desert Sun. Reach him at shad.powers@desertsun.com.
Pacific Division final
COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS vs. ONTARIO REIGN
Wednesday, May 15: Reign at Firebirds, 7 p.m.
Friday, May 17: Reign at Firebirds, 7 p.m.
Sunday, May 19: Firebirds at Reign, 7 p.m.
Friday, May 24: Firebirds at Reign, 7 p.m. (If nec.)
Sunday, May 27: Reign at Firebirds, 3 p.m. (If nec.)
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Fast-starting Firebirds put on clinic in how to close out playoff series
