The home team is just 1-4 in conference finals so far, and Coachella Valley must reverse that trend for a chance to advance before heading to Colorado.
The Firebirds host the Eagles tonight in Game 2 (10 p.m. ET, 
) back Trent MinerColorado got its fourth shutout on Wednesday, helping Colorado win 3-0. Miner (6-1, 0.95, .958) was shutout in the first game of each of the Eagles’ three playoff series this spring.
“They’re a good team, a deep team, but we also put ourselves in some harm’s way,” Firebirds forward John Hayden explain. “We were a little hesitant at first, but we knew that wasn’t going to happen in this five-game series.”
Jack O’Brien In the first game, he made his debut for the Firebirds. The 18-year-old Toronto native was selected eighth overall by Seattle in the 2025 NHL Draft and has become Brantford’s (OHL) leading scorer with 93 points in 53 games this season.
“He’s a very cerebral offensive player,” head coach Derek Laxdale explain. “I thought he did a great job. He didn’t back down in that moment. He did a really good job of catching the puck and making some plays.”
Ronny AttardColorado opened the scoring on Wednesday after struggling in its first two games. Daniel Gushing and Brian Yoon Make the playoffs for the first time while the Eagles don’t Jack Akan (recalling parents avalanche), Sean Behrens and captain Jason Megna.
“It’s not easy to be ready, go out there and contribute,” Eagles head coach Mark Lightstu he said in his post-match speech to the club. “That’s the best away game you could ask for.”
Last night, the Springfield Thunderbirds wrote another chapter in their 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs, winning 4-3 in overtime at Wilkes-Barre to move within a game of the Atlantic Division finals.
Trailing 3-0 entering the third period, Springfield scored shorthanded after being shut out on first down. Hugh McGinnTwo extra attackers score Dillon Dube The winner of the match wins from a lucky bounce Akil Thomas 13:44 of overtime.
“We need tips to play, and we saw that in the third quarter and overtime,” head coach Steve Ott explain. “We’re a persistent team and we’re going to keep working hard. When you play the game the right way, you’re going to be rewarded.”
defensive player Rosen StreetA member of the Thunderbirds that won the Calder Cup with Toronto in 2018 and reached the Finals in 2022, he assisted on all three third-period goals in Game 2. Georgi Romanov They allowed three goals in a game for the first time in the playoffs this season, but still made 39 saves and improved to 4-0 in overtime.
“Our goaltending was really good the first two periods,” Ott said. “There are some things we can definitely clean up (but) we got a lot of great contributions from some guys who have been playing a long time.”
