The Coachella Valley Firebirds now know who they will face in the Western Conference final of the American Hockey League’s 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs. It’s a familiar foe.
The Milwaukee Admirals, like the Firebirds, are division winners. Unlike Coachella Valley’s sweep of Pacific Division rival Ontario (CA), Milwaukee went the maximum number of third-round games to oust Central Division foe Grand Rapids in five games, posting a 2-0 shutout Sunday before heading west for a Wednesday 7 p.m. puck drop in the Southern California desert. Game 2 is Friday before heading back to the Midwest for Games 3, 4 and 5 (the latter if necessary). Games 6 and 7, if relevant, would be back at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, CA.
The Firebirds clinched their spot in the conference final with a Game 3 win on May 19, translating to nine days for rest and practice awaiting the next round. The Firebirds encountered a similar long break between the regular season end and a first-round bye, creating an 11-day break between games.
“This layoff is a little different than the scenario before we started up the playoffs,” said Dan Bylsma, Firebirds head coach. We were challenged with the 11 days off and starting against a team who had played three playoff games [CVF lost Game 1 to Calgary, then won three straight to take the series]. We hadn't played playoff hockey yet.
“This time around, we've been in the fight here for a couple rounds, seven games. Our guys know what it's going to be like when we get back with Milwaukee. In addition, we ended the season relatively healthy and didn't necessarily need the break to get healthy where this break, we've got a handful of guys who have some playoff bumps and bruises. We’re doing a great job of playing hockey games but we played the first two series with different injuries than by the end of the [Ontario] series. Nine days gives those guys a chance to rest and recoup a little bit.”
History Repeats Itself, Firebirds Making Fast History
The Firebirds and Admirals (NHL Nashville affiliate) met in last spring’s Western Conference final, with Coachella Valley prevailing in six hard-fought games. The West winner will face the victor in the AHL Eastern Conference showdown between the defending Calder Cup champ Hershey Bears (Washington) and Cleveland Monsters (Columbus Blue Jackets). Kraken/Firebirds fans no doubt know Hershey won the AHL title last season on an overtime goal against Coachella Valley in Game 7 of the Calder Cup final.
With the Western Conference final appearance, the Firebirds are now the first AHL team to reach the fourth round of the league’s playoffs in their first two seasons since the Houston Aeros debuted in 2002. The second-year Firebirds are most decidedly a newcomer among the four remaining AHL clubs. The city of Cleveland is an original member of the AHL, joining in 1936. Hershey was established two seasons later, in 1938. Milwaukee became an AHL team in 2001 but has hosted an Admirals team since 1970 (first in the USHL, then the International Hockey League, which folded in 2001 but merged six clubs, including Milwaukee, into the AHL).
Firebirds Rookies to Watch: Deep List
While there will be lots of familiar faces in the faceoff circles and goal creases between Milwaukee and Coachella Valley holdovers from last season, both teams have rookies who have made an impact and provided scoring depth and then some. For the Firebirds, Shane Wright (currently “day-to-day” with an injury sustained in Game 2 against Ontario) and Ryan Winterton both topped 20 goals during the regular season, while Wright (25), fellow forward Logan Morrison (25) and first-year defenseman Ville Ottavainen were all top-20 assist leaders among all AHL rookies.
Wright has two goals (including a game-winner) and three assists in six playoff games. Winterton has a pair of assists and Morrison has notched three postseason helpers. Jacon Melanson, a 2021 fifth-round draft choice, has contributed a goal and three assists, plus adds a physical style of play that is hard to ignore for opponents or fans. Ottavainen, 2021 fourth-rounder, notched his first point assisting on a key goal in the Game 3 comeback clincher against Ontario, has provided more than scoresheet shows, said Bylsma.
Ottavainen, Melanson Rising
“Ville’s first assist in the last game is not indicative of how well he’s playing for us [partnering with veteran Jimmy Schuldt]. He’s added a lot of offense to our team throughout the season and the points just haven’t been materializing for him yet here in the playoffs. But he has been part of our defensemen group, and we feel confident to use Ville and Jimmy to play against anybody in any given situation [Bylsma feels the same about Ryker Evans-Cale Fleury and Connor Carrick-Gustav Olofsson].
“That is a very comforting thing to have as a coach ... last week, we saw Flower [Fleury] and Goose [Olofsson] block shots to protect a late lead in our last game. Then, with 10 seconds left, their best shot is taking a one-timer, and Otto [Ottavainen] comes up with a huge block.”
While Wright and Morrison are among Firebirds leaders in points and Winterton topped 20 goals, the aforementioned Melanson is another prospect to watch as the Western Conference final unfolds.
“Jacob has played better and better and better since the second half of the regular season,” said Bylsma, who, along with coaches Jessica Campbell and Stu Bickel, has masterfully mixed in the player development mission with winning hockey. “He brings physicality and the energy every night – every night. Now in the playoffs, and in the most difficult time, he’s showing up on the score sheet.”
Western Conference Final Schedule
Here’s the calendar for the Milwaukee-Coachella Valley series (all times Pacific). All games can be viewed on AHLTV.com:
Game 1 – Wed., May 29 – Milwaukee at Coachella Valley, 7 p.m.
Game 2 – Fri., May 31 – Milwaukee at Coachella Valley, 7 p.m.
Game 3 – Tue., June 4 – Coachella Valley at Milwaukee, 5 p.m.
Game 4 – Thu., June 6 – Coachella Valley at Milwaukee, 5 p.m.
Game 5 (if necessary) – Sat., June 8 – Coachella Valley at Milwaukee, 4 p.m
Game 6 (if necessary) – Mon., June 10 – Milwaukee at Coachella Valley, 7 p.m.
Game 7 (if necessary) – Wed., June 12 – Milwaukee at Coachella Valley, 7 p.m.
