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Recap: Wranglers lose a few skaters to call ups and fall 4-1 to Firebirds
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Photo credit: Brandon Magpantay/Coachella Valley Firebirds
Paige Siewert
Mar 9, 2026, 09:30 EDTUpdated: Mar 9, 2026, 00:10 EDT
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The Calgary Wranglers and Coachella Valley Firebirds wrapped up their weekend series on Sunday for a late afternoon game. The Wranglers were without a few bodies due to some Flames call-ups and didn’t put up nearly as many shots as they did in the game prior. Coachella Valley struck first, then Calgary answered back. However, after this goal, the Firebirds added another two and sealed this game with an empty-netter. The Wranglers ended up falling 4-1.

Lineup notes

Prior to this game, both Matvei Gridin and Hunter Brzustewicz were called back up to the Flames. These moves didn’t require the Wranglers to backfill any forwards, but they did need to call up Simon Mack from the Rapid City Rush in order to have an extra defenceman. Parker Bell was able to return to the lineup for his first game after injury and Etienne Morin also slotted back into the lineup.

Wranglers lines

Dryden Hunt – Sam Morton – William Stromgren
Brennan Othmann – Justin Kirkland – Aydar Suniev
Parker Bell – Clark Bishop – Lucas Ciona
Alex Gallant – Carter King – David Silye
Nick Cicek – Daniil Miromanov
Etienne Morin – Turner Ottenbreit
Artem Grushnikov – Gavin White

Ivan Prosvetov

Game at a glance

With this being a back to back, both teams switched things up between the pipes. The Wranglers started Ivan Prosvetov and the Firebirds started Victor Ostman. The first five minutes were mostly led by the Firebirds. At 4:54, the Wranglers got their first good chance of the game with a point shot from Etienne Morin that Ostman put up a glove save on. This started a stretch of zone time for Calgary before Coachella Valley took it the other way.
Around the midway mark of the period, Turner Ottenbreit collided with a Firebird skater and was able to get to the bench on his own but was in a noticeable amount of pain. He fell on his back and was likely a bit winded on top of the effects of the fall. He didn’t need to go off and was able to return to the ice before the end of the period and stayed in for the rest of the game.
The first penalty of the game was called at 14:23, when Gavin White was tagged for tripping. Shortly after the Wranglers killed this one off, they were penalty killing again when William Stromgren was called for cross-checking at 17:23. Through this stretch, Ivan Prosvetov was dialled in and prevented any goals against in a period Coachella Valley put up 14 shots. At the end of the first, it was a scoreless game and Calgary put up eight shots on their end. 
Early in the second, there appeared to be a missed call on the Firebirds when they took down Justin Kirkland and after this, they took the puck the other way and scored post and in to make it a 1-0 Firebirds game. This goal came from Eduard Sale at 2:27.
Calgary did get a call their way a few minutes later when Coachella Valley was called for holding at 5:11. About 30 seconds into this power play, Justin Kirkland broke into the zone and put up a sharp angled shot that snuck behind Ostman. Kirkland’s power play goal was unassisted and came at 5:39.
Shortly after this goal, the Firebirds regained the lead off a quick point shot off the draw. Kaden Hammell scored this goal at 7:32. The Firebirds would add another goal about five minutes later when Logan Morrison jumped on a rebound the Wranglers were caught on their heels on. This goal came at 12:28 and put the Firebirds up 3-1. 
Coachella Valley kept trying for more but were sent to the box at 15:12 for tripping. The Wranglers weren’t able to register any more shots on goal in this frame after the third Firebirds goal and it was a 3-1 game at the end of 40 minutes of play. Shots in the middle frame were 12-5 Coachella Valley. 
Early in the third, the Firebirds continued to pepper Prosvetov, then at 6:21, Aydar Suniev was called for hooking on Jani Nyman and Nyman was called for diving/embellishment. This gave both sides a little bit more room on the ice for the four on four. Calgary put up a couple shots but the score remained. 
At 9:51, Etienne Morin was skating the puck through the neutral zone and Oscar Fisker Molgaard hit him with a knee on knee hit. It was an ugly looking hit but thankfully Morin was able to get up to a knee right away and skate and stretch it out. Alex Gallant was on the ice and jumped Molgaard with the gloves dropped but Molgaard would not go. Molgaard was called for kneeing and Morin was able to stay in the game. 
This power play was cut short by a call against Daniil Miromanov for slashing at 10:19. It was mostly a four on four then the Firebirds got a brief power play. Shots were slowing by this point in the game and at 17:24, the Wranglers pulled Ivan Prosvetov for the extra attacker. At 17:53, Eduard Sale put the puck in the empty net for his second goal of the night. 
Provetov came back out after this goal then at 18:08, Alex Gallant was called for cross-checking and went down the tunnel. Aydar Suniev served this penalty on his behalf. Then one more penalty was called against the Firebirds for tripping at 19:46. That about wrapped up this game and the Firebirds completed the weekend sweep with a 4-1 win. Shots finished 36-16 for the Seattle Kraken affiliate. 

Scoring stat summary

Justin Kirkland – 1G

Next up

The Wranglers return home this week to kick off a four game homestand. Their next opponent will be the Manitoba Moose, who they host on Friday at 7:00 p.m. MT and Sunday at 12:00 p.m. MT.

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