The Calgary Wranglers wrapped up the 2024-25 AHL regular season on a high note with a good Easter Sunday showing. They were the only game on the AHL’s schedule and the result of their game determined whether or not they would be playing the Ontario Reign or the Coachella Valley Firebirds for their first playoff series. With a great team effort, they won 4-0 and secured the Firebirds as their first post-season opponent.

Lineup notes

The Wranglers got a trio of players back from the Flames for this game. Alternate Captain, Dryden Hunt returned and the two rookies fresh off their first NHL games came along with him. Hunter Brzustewicz and Sam Morton. They all slotted in for this game. For the goaltending side of things, Devin Cooley didn’t dress for this game. Waltteri Ignatjew started, and Connor Murphy dressed as backup. 

Wranglers lines

Rory Kerins – Sam Morton – Dryden Hunt
William Stromgren – Sam Honzek – Martin Frk
Clark Bishop – Carter King – Ty Tullio
Alex Gallant – Cater Wilkie – Lucas Ciona
Yan Kuznetsov – Hunter Brzustewicz
Ilya Solovyov – Simon Mack
Jonathan Aspirot – Jeremie Poirier
Waltteri Ignatjew 
Connor Murphy

Game at a glance

The starting netminders for this game consisted of Waltteri Ignatjew for the Wranglers and Gabriel Carriere for the Barracuda. This game started with a good pace on both ends of the ice and minimal stoppages until just after the seven minute mark. Joey Keane was called for interference at 7:11, putting the Wranglers on the first power play of the game. 
A couple of minutes later, Clark Bishop and Anthony Vincent were called for unsportsmanlike conduct offsetting minors and this four on four turned into a four on three for the Barracuda. Calgary managed to kill this off and scored their first goal of the game from Carter King. King banked the puck off the post and in for his first professional goal. Alex Gallant and Ilya Solovyov assisted on this goal at 13:16.  
The last few minutes of the period didn’t have many high danger opportunities for either side and with just 15 seconds to go in the period, Martin Frk was called for roughing. The first period finished with the Wranglers up 1-0 and narrowly trailing 9-8 in shots. 
In the second period, the Barracuda were trying for a bit of a push back and in a shot sequence in the Wranglers’ zone, it drew a crowd that resulted in offsetting minors for Hunter Brzustewicz for roughing and Lucas Vanroboys for slashing. After these penalties came and went, Carter King set up Clark Bishop for a one-timer from behind the net to make it a 2-0 game. Lucas Ciona picked up the secondary assist on this goal at 10:29.
Just 15 seconds after this goal, Ty Tullio was sent to the box for tripping. At 13:29, Anthony Vincent collided with Alex Gallant along the boards on a knee on knee hit and Vincent was called for kneeing as a result. Just 40 seconds into this Wranglers power play, Hunter Brzustewicz took a low shot on Carriere and Lucas Ciona was on the doorstep to tip it in. This goal at 14:09 was also assisted by Jeremie Poirier. 
Later in the period, Gallant tried to go after Vincent and dropped the gloves but was held back by the officials. Gallant was dealt a 10 minute misconduct for continuing the altercation and two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct that Martin Frk served for him. By the end of the second period, Calgary was up 3-0 and shots in the middle frame were 12-4 in favour of San Jose. 
After Gallant’s minor penalty expired, the Barracuda were sent to the box for hooking at 2:57, then for cross-checking at 3:57. On this four on three, Calgary managed to add to their lead with a nice play that Dryden Hunt finished off. His goal came at 4:25 and was assisted by Rory Kerins and Martin Frk. 
The Barracuda tried to at least get one on the board but the Wranglers being in shutout protection mode, made sure that didn’t happen. They got to the end of regulation and the Wranglers secured the 4-0 win. 
The shots finished 28-19 for San Jose and all three stars were awarded to Wranglers. Waltteri Ignatjew got the first star for his first professional shutout, Carter King got the second for his first pro goal and two point game and Lucas Ciona got the third for his multi-point game. 
The team’s spirits were high after this regular season finale game. Game pucks were given to King and Ignatjew and Head Coach, Joe Cirella said the post-game atmosphere was special. He said,
“It’s awesome. I tell ya in the room after, the response from the players was, you know, would make you guys cry. Really because it was the ovation they gave him and they kept it going and kept it going. They’re there for each other, which is what you want. It brings a team together and that’s very important especially at this time.”

Scoring stat summary

Jeremie Poirier – 1A
Hunter Brzustewicz – 1A
Rory Kerins – 1A
Ilya Solovyov – 1A
Dryden Hunt – 1G
Lucas Ciona – 1G, 1A
Clark Bishop – 1G
Alex Gallant – 1A
Martin Frk – 1A
Carter King – 1G, 1A

Highlights

Next up

This result has solidified the Wranglers as the fifth seed in the Pacific Division so they will face the fourth placed Coachella Valley Firebirds for the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs. Coachella Valley has eliminated them the last two years and have home ice for this series. After the completion of this game it was also confirmed that Trent Cull will be rejoining the Wranglers for the playoffs. Their next game will be Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m. MT. Game two will be Saturday, April 26th at 7:00 p.m. MT and if a third game is required, it will be on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. MT. 
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