Firebirds' Devin Shore Scores Game 2 OT Winner, Knotting Playoff Series With Wranglers

Through the first five periods of their 2nd round Calder Cup Playoff series, the Coachella Valley Firebirds and Calgary Wranglers had each scored a grand total of two goals (not counting empty-netters).

Then the 3rd period happened Sunday afternoon at the Saddledome in Calgary.

The Seattle Kraken farm team got 3rd period tallies from Andrew Poturalski and Max McCormick, added to a 2nd period PP goal from Kole Lind. But the Wranglers scored three of their own, meaning the contest would be decided in overtime.

Veteran Devin Shore stuffed home the winning goal on a delayed penalty to give the Firebirds a dramatic 4-3 OT victory, tying the best-of-five at one game each.

However long the Calder Cup series lasts, all remaining games will be at the Firebirds' home Acrisure Arena.

1st Period

Firebirds goalie Chris Driedger had a spectacular 1st period to keep the game scoreless, making 16 saves. He calmly gloved a breakaway, recovered from getting bowled over by Calgary's Adam Klapka, and stood strong on three Wranglers power plays.

2nd Period

The Firebirds didn't register a shot for the first 10:42 of the 2nd period, but did kill two more penalties.

A burr must have gotten under the saddle of Firebirds captain McCormick. The 32-year-old pending UFA was called for a high-sticking double minor, goalie interference, and cross-checking.

Ben Jones becomes the second Wrangler to crash into goalie Driedger. This one results in Coachella Valley's third power play. Kole Lind, from the bumper position, breaks the ice on a pass from - who else - McCormick.

The Firebirds PP includes two of next season's for-sure Seattle Kraken, forward Shane Wright and defenseman Ryker Evans. Wright took a minute to rise late in the period when Clark Bishop crushed him into the corner boards.

3rd Period

Calgary's Cole Schwindt gets on his bicycle (sorry) to poke a rebound past the prone Drieger to tie the game 1-1 at 1:41.

Three minutes later, the Wranglers take the lead. Like the earlier goal, Firebirds defenders aren't present to clear out after Driedger makes a save. A Jordan Oesterle shot off the goalie deflects to Sam Morton, who accepts the gift. 2-1 Calgary.

The Firebirds make their own comback, Cale Fleury finding Andrew Poturalski at the back door for a 2-2 tie at 8:29. Lind picks up the second assist for a two-point night.

The see-saw tips back Calgary's way, Schwindt's second of the period re-establishing a home-team lead 3-2 at 12:18.

That man McCormick drives the net, getting credit for the 3-3 tally at 14:33 when Connor Carrick's shot deflects off his skate. McCormick winds up in the net, which doesn't count, but the puck does also, which does count. Ryker Evans earns the second assist.

Overtime

Coachella Valley's John Hayden busts in, gets spun around, the referee's arm goes up.

The penalty doesn't need to be enforced. Devin Shore comes out from behind the net and stuffs the puck under Calgary goalie Dustin Wolf's pads for the winning OT goal at 7:54.

The Calgary radio broadcast bemoaned that the Firebirds should have been called for an illegal hit, too many men, offside, pushing the goalie into his net - and maybe parking in a loading zone, I'm not sure.