Devin Shore and Max McCormick scored back-to-back power-play goals midway through the third period to send Coachella Valley to a 7-5 win over Calgary at Acrisure Arena on Wednesday night.
The Firebirds lead the best-of-five Pacific Division semifinal series, two games to one, and will host Game 4 on Friday.
With Wranglers leading scorer Adam Klapka off for a high-sticking double-minor penalty, Shore broke a 4-4 tie with 11:44 to play in regulation and McCormick gave the Firebirds their first two-goal lead just 62 seconds later.
The teams combined for seven goals in the third period, five of them coming in a span of 5:25 as a 3-3 deadlock quickly transformed into a 6-5 Coachella Valley lead. McCormick finished the scoring with an empty-netter at the 19:50 mark.
Marian Studenic also scored twice and John Hayden added a goal and an assist to help the Firebirds pick up the win in their first home playoff game since losing Game 7 of the Finals to Hershey last June.
Defensemen Jeremie Poirier (1g, 2a) and Jonathan Aspirot (1g, 1a) led Calgary’s offense in Game 3. Cole Schwindt added his fourth goal of the postseason.
(Coachella Valley leads series, 2-1)
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 – COACHELLA VALLEY 7, Calgary 5
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