The Colorado Eagles will play a deciding Game 5 in the best-of-five AHL Calder Cup semifinal series against the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Friday.
While the Colorado Avalanche’s season may be over, the Colorado Eagles will play a deciding Game 5 in the best-of-five AHL Calder Cup semifinal series against the Coachella Valley Firebirds.
Ironically, the Firebirds are the affiliate of the Seattle Kraken that knocked the Avalanche out of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in seven games of a best-of-seven series on Sunday.
The Eagles got a few players back after the Avs’ loss, helping the team’s depth and chances to win the series and move on to the Pacific Division Finals. Forward Ben Meyers, defenseman Brad Hunt and goaltender Keith Kincaid all returned to the AHL team after Sunday’s 2-1 loss to the Kraken.
The Eagles swept the Ontario Reign when they won two consecutive games in the best-of-three first-round series of the playoffs.
Forward Charles Hudon led the team in points during the regular season with 54 and has four goals in six games so far through the postseason. Forward Cedric Pare is leading the team in the playoffs with 6 points (4 goals, 2 assists).
Goaltender Jonas Johansson lost his first of the postseason, allowing four goals on 21 shots in Wednesday night’s 4-3 loss to the Firebirds, forcing a decisive Game 5. He started the last three games after taking over in net for Justus Annunen, who won both games against Ontario but lost the first game against Coachella Valley.
Eagles history with Firebirds
The Eagles went 2-1-1 in the regular season matchups against Coachella Valley. The team won both home games at the Budweiser Events Center and lost one in regulation and another in overtime at Acrisure Arena.
If the Eagles win, they will move on to play the winner between the Abbotsford Canucks and Calgary Wranglers in the Pacific Division Finals. The Wranglers are currently up one game after three games played.
Game 5 is Friday at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, California at 8:00 p.m.