'I Just Love These Guys'

PALM DESERT -The Firebirds faced and defused five elimination games before Wednesday's Game 7 in the AHL Calder Cup Final. The sixth time? Not a charm.

While Hershey players and coaches celebrated the first road victory for either team in this championship series, Firebirds players absorbed the sudden loss slowly and painfully, consoling each other and especially goalie Joey Daccord, who finished with 35 saves but didn't stop the last one, a rebound shot and back-door tap-in from AHL veteran Mike Vicchione off a net-front scramble.

Firebirds head coach Dan Bylsma embraced Daccord tightly on the ice after the tough-to-swallow loss. Bylsma didn't care to share exactly what he said to his ironman goalie who played all 26 playoff games and stopped another 35 shots Wednesday.

"Those are private moments and special moments," said Bylsma. "We've been through a lot as a group and as a team ... I just love these guys and I'm sad to see it end this way."

The always thoughtful coach said his post-game talk with his team was not a cure-all to the ache of losing a third overtime game in this series and the Calder Cup dream along with it: "I said to the guys postgame nothing at this point in time that I'm going to say to them is going to assuage the bitter disappointment of losing this game tonight."

Similarly, the full-capacity crowd of 10,087 stood in disbelief of the jarring end to a magical inaugural season for Coachella Valley, the AHL's 32nd franchise going five rounds and to extra time in Wednesday's Game 7. But the Firebirds faithful quickly rallied to chant a resounding "Let's Go Firebirds" one last time this spring, then dropped in the popular "Joey! Joey!" chant for fan-favorite Daccord. It was a sight to both see and hear - and appreciate from a fanbase clearly grateful to call this team their own.

Coachella Valley players lifted their sticks in appreciation to the fans, mostly all local residents who showed up in sellout numbers, buying tickets after the region's so-called snowbirds returned to their residences after wintering down here in the Southern California desert. The team outlasted the snowbirds who tend to limit their Coachella Valley stay to 180 days or less for tax purposes.

"I think we all wondered what the playoffs would bring with our fans having the 180 days be up right around the middle of April," said Bylsma. "But I think it's given the Valley the opportunity to come out [to Firebirds playoff games].

"Our building is unlike any other [in the AHL} and is absolutely amazing. I thought our fans were a big part of Game 6, giving us the energy and the boost to turn the series and get to Game 7 ... We've shown the fans a lot of different hockey in a lot of different circumstances throughout the year and I felt like it was going to be just another story to win Game 7 in overtime."

Wednesday's crowd was heavy with families and hockey-loving couples, plus a strong allotment of buddies (male and female) who converted from night-out celebrants earlier in the season to diehard fans during the record 26-game stretch of playoff games.

"The local community came out to support this team [during the extended playoff run]," said Evan Pivnick, the Firebirds play-by-play man who doubles as director of communications. "A lot of these people don't get to come to games during the regular season, but they have been all-in during the playoffs... They know the situations of the game and understand the sport a lot more. It's been really special."

Coach Dan Bylsma expressed disappointment at not delivering a Calder Cup to the local community and this closely-knit team of NHL-tested players who were impressive leaders and mentors, reliable AHL veterans and a solid handful of Kraken prospects led by 21-year-old defenseman Ryker Evans, who scored the opening goal Wednesday and assisted on Max McCormick's goal just 24 seconds into the second period.

While Hershey wiped out the two-goal lead with a pair of late second-period goals, Bylsma liked the way his team played in the first and second periods. He estimated his squad generated "three to four, maybe five" quality scoring chances that could have stretched the lead to 3-0 before Hershey tied the game at two games apiece.

But Hershey goaltender Hunter Shepard made the saves among the 43 stops he recorded Wednesday, outdueling Daccord this time.

"They got the power play opportunity and scored the power-play goal to essentially get back into the game. On the second [Hershey] goal, there's not a ton there. We broke up the [zone entry] with a good stick and they fight it back to the point where a guy stepped into a one-timer that hits off the shaft of stick when it looks to be wide [of the net].

"In the third period, we had to [penalty] kills and we couldn't get the game back after those kills. And, and they were coming pretty hard with foreplay and then right out when we couldn't get the game back ... We had a couple chances there to start the overtime and we had the power play opportunity in overtime. There's our chance to win the game with special teams, we had a couple of good looks."

Near the end of his media availability, Bylsma paused a few extra beats before answering a final query.

"Speaking from experience, this loss in Game 7 will not leave me for a long time," said Bylsma. "But, the work, the commitment, the sacrifice and the effort to compete this group of guys has put in throughout the whole year will stay with me for a long time."