Game 2 of their series against the Canucks on Saturday brought considerable emotional swings for the Firebirds.
This is not the same team that went to the Calder Cup Finals the past two years. Now that the parent Seattle Kraken are able to cycle in more and more prospects, this year’s club has players who haven’t been through long, grinding playoff battles at this level.
So when the Firebirds took a 3-0 first-period lead only to see Abbotsford respond with four straight goals, the potential existed for doubts to creep in.
But head coach Derek Laxdal liked how his players handled those swings in the game. After falling behind 4-3, the Firebirds tied the contest with 4:02 to go before Jacob Melanson wrestled away the game with his overtime winner.
“I give our group a lot of credit,” Laxdal said following the win. “We were very calm on the bench. We knew what we needed to do.”
The Rockford IceHogs have something a bit rare for the Calder Cup Playoffs: a bit of breathing room.
They also have a chance to sweep the Milwaukee Admirals tonight on home ice. The IceHogs won twice on the road against the Central Division champions. But IceHogs forward Joey Anderson, who had a hat trick and four points in Game 2, is well aware that his team can expect Milwaukee’s fiercest pushback yet.
“Got to expect that it’s going to be physical,” Anderson said Tuesday. “I’ve got to imagine that first period they’re going to be looking to bully us, kind of like they’ve tried to in the last two games. I think we go out there, and we just continue to forecheck hard, play our game, not overcomplicate things, and be emotional but not dive into that after-the-play-stuff.
Rockford’s no-frills approach has been efficient and effective this postseason, including in the team’s opening-round series against the Chicago Wolves.
“It’s been awesome,” Anderson continued. “Every guy is buying into it, and it’s not been one line, two lines doing it… it’s all 20 guys in the lineup. We’re simple, forechecking, efficient.”
― with files from Patrick Williams
