The two teams with the best 2022-23 AHL regular season records will renew hostilities in the Pacific Division Finals.
The Calgary Wranglers (51-17-3-1, 106 points) will need to outlast their division rivals, the Coachella Valley Firebirds (48-17-5-2, 103 points), in the best-of-five series in order to keep their Calder Cup hopes alive.
Wranglers head coach Mitch Love expects a hard-fought series against the affiliate of the NHL’s Seattle Kraken.
“Each and every series, if you want to try and chase down a championship, is going to get harder and harder,” said Love. “We’ve got a great challenge ahead of us here against a very good Coachella Valley team.”
Bryan Wilson, colour commentator for the Calgary Wranglers broadcast team, says there isn’t much separation between the two teams.
“It’s going to be a really good series,” said Wilson. “The regular season was tightly contested between both teams. They split the series four games apiece. So, moving into the postseason here, I imagine it’s going to be a pretty good battle.”
.Wilson expects big things out of forwards Matthew Phillips, Jakob Pelletier and Walker Duehr, but wouldn’t be surprised if the stellar goaltending proved to be the difference.
“The Wranglers have a great goaltender in Dustin Wolf, the AHL goaltender of the year and the MVP. It kind of starts and ends with him. He’s been fantastic all season long so definitely worth the price of admission to check him out.”
The first two games of the series will be held at the Scotiabank Saddledome Thursday and Friday nights, and Wilson says an extended playoff run could potentially grow and solidify the fan base for the Calgary Flames AHL affiliate.
“It’s a big step in an inaugural season to have some playoff success here,” Wilson told Global News. “A deep run will obviously help in building the brand and establishing the fan base here in Calgary.
“Definitely exciting times around the ‘Dome.”
Tickets for Game 1 and 2 are available at Calgary Wranglers. Game 3 of the series, as well as Games 4 and 5 if necessary, will take place at the Firebirds home arena in Palm Desert, Calif.
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