Devin Shore scored on a wraparound 7:54 into overtime to give Coachella Valley a 4-3 win over Calgary in a back-and-forth Game 2 of their Pacific Division semifinal on Sunday afternoon.
The best-of-three series is tied at one game apiece heading back to Palm Desert, where the Firebirds will host Game 3 on Wednesday.
Shore’s game-winner was his first postseason goal since 2015, when he was a 20-year-old just out of the University of Maine skating for the Texas Stars.
Game 2 was scoreless until the late stages of the second period, when Kole Lind scored to give Coachella Valley a 1-0 lead.
Cole Schwindt scored twice and Sam Morton once in the third period as Calgary built 2-1 and 3-2 leads, but the Firebirds responded to tie it both times, with Max McCormick’s goal with 5:27 remaining ultimately forcing overtime.
Lind, McCormick and Andrew Poturalski all had a goal and an assist for Coachella Valley, which had lost seven of its previous eight road playoff games. Chris Driedger (1-1) made 30 saves to pick up the first postseason victory of his 10-year pro career.
Dustin Wolf (3-1) stopped 26 shots for the Wranglers.
(Series tied, 1-1)
Game 1 – Fri., May 3 – CALGARY 4, Coachella Valley 1
Game 2 – Sun., May 5 – Coachella Valley 4, CALGARY 3 (OT)
Game 3 – Wed., May 8 – Calgary at Coachella Valley, 10:00
Game 4 – Fri., May 10 – Calgary at Coachella Valley, 10:00
*Game 5 – Sun., May 12 – Calgary at Coachella Valley, 6:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern