In a fitting conclusion to a series between the two best teams in the American Hockey League this season, Andrew Poturalsky He scored seven minutes into overtime to give the Coachella Valley Firebirds a 6-5 victory over the Calgary Wranglers at Acrisure Arena on Friday night.
The first-year Firebirds advance to the Western Conference Finals, where they will take on either Texas or Milwaukee starting next week.
The back-and-forth streak culminated in a roller coaster 5 that saw five separate threads wiped out with a single goal of regulation. Calgary tied the game four times before taking a 5-4 lead for the first time with 6:58 to play, but Coachella Valley responded 71 seconds later to tie the game.
Teams will collect six goals in the third period, five goals within 6:59.
Poturalski, who returned to the Firebirds’ lineup on Monday after missing 44 games with an injury, took a pass from Jesper Freudin And he took the game-winning goal, his first overtime winner in the postseason. The assist was the third point of the night for Froden, who also scored his first goal since returning from Seattle earlier in the series.
Jeremy McKenna He scored twice for the Firebirds, and Gustav Olofsson Added a goal and an assist. Joey Dacord He made 28 saves in the win.
Calgary got goals from Christian RubinAnd Clark BishopAnd Nick DSimoneAnd Jeremy Boyer And Cole Swallows In game 5, while Jacob Pelletier He made three assists. Dustin Wolf He finished the night with 35 saves.
Coachella Valley joined the 2002 Chicago Wolves as the only teams in AHL history to win three winner-take-all games in the postseason. The Firebirds are also now 4-0 when facing elimination.
Pacific Division Finals (Best of 5)
P1-Calgary Wranglers vs. P2-Coachella Valley Firebirds
Game 1 – Thursday, May 11 – Coachella Valley 6, Calgary 3 | a summary
Game 2 – Friday, May 12 – Calgary 3, Coachella Valley 2 | a summary
Game 3 – Monday, May 15 – Coachella Valley 3, Calgary 2 (3OT) | a summary
Game 4 – Wed, May 17 – Calgary 1, Coachella Valley 0 | a summary
Game Five – Friday, May 19 – Coachella Valley 6, Calgary 5 (OT)