By: Annie Nadin
PALM DESERT, Calif. – Do or die.
It’s that simple.
The Matchup
The Wranglers and Coachella Valley Firebirds hit the ice for Gamer 2 tonight at 7 p.m. MT.
The stakes couldn’t be higher high: the Wranglers win and force a deciding Game 3 on Sunday, or lose and have their season come to an end.
On April 22, the Herd suited up for Game 1, entering the third period of the stint down 3-0.
In the last 20 minutes of regulation, the Wranglers found a way to come back and net three, forcing a triple overtime but fell 4-3.
This series is far from over is the message that has been floating around, a silent fuel to the fire for the team.
“This isn’t a clean slate,” Rory Kerins said Friday. “We lost Game 1. We’ve got to win the next two.”
“This team’s got a lot of fight,” he added. “We’re not done.”
Kerins found the back of the Firebirds net with seven seconds remaining in regulation play in Game 1 to force OT.
RORY = CERTIFIED BEAUTY 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZjP3YWUMW6
— Calgary Wranglers (@AHLWranglers) April 23, 2025
Jeep Alberta Players to Watch
Adam Klapka returns to the Wranglers after being reassigned by the Flames.
This matchup is personal for him.
“We’ve been playing against them almost every round, so I just wanna beat them this time and advance to the next round,” shared Klapka.
Klapka brings an extensive amount of experience with the Flames, playing 31 games, this season putting up 10 points.
He played 33 games with the Wranglers, racking up 26 points.
“They (the Wranglers) found a way to tie the game at the end, and in overtime it was just bad luck,” he said. “So, next game, we’re gonna be ready and we won’t let it go to overtime — we just win in regulation,” he explained.
On the other end of the ice, is Firebirds netminder Nikke Kokko, who suited up for the Firebirds in game one, and had 36 saves in the night, with a shutout heading in the third period.
How to Watch
Don’t miss a second of the action! Tune in to AHLTV on FloHockey to catch all the live coverage. How to Watch.
