The Calgary Wranglers are heading into the home stretch of their season with their playoff hopes mathematically eliminated, but that hasn't stopped them from playing some of their most compelling hockey.
With only two home games remaining before the off-season, this weekend represents the final opportunity for Calgary fans to catch the Wranglers in action at Scotiabank Saddledome. The AHL squad will host the Abbotsford Canucks in a back-to-back series on Friday and Saturday nights.
Building Momentum Down the Stretch
Despite being out of playoff contention, the Wranglers have found their stride recently. Over their last three games, Calgary showed resilience against some of the league's strongest teams, including the second-place Colorado Eagles and the top-ranked Laval Rocket from the North Division.
The highlight came on Good Friday when Calgary dominated Laval 5-2, a performance that caught the attention of head coach Brett Sutter.
"We just had a good talk about mentality and character that we could should show down the stretch here," Sutter said following the victory. "I think everyone's grabbed ahold of we're playing a team game and buying in. We've got four big games coming up and we're taking them as if they're playoff games."
Key Players to Watch
Forward Martin Frk has emerged as a scoring leader with 28 goals and 28 assists across 62 games. Fellow contributors Dryden Hunt and Rory Kerins continue to drive the team's offence, with Kerins poised for another potential call-up to the NHL Calgary Flames.
Recent transactions include the return of Brennan Othmann from his two-game stint with the parent club, while Aydar Suniev made his Flames debut after being called up earlier this week.
Game Details and How to Watch
Friday's matchup begins at 7:00 p.m. MT, with Saturday's game following at 6:00 p.m. MT. Tickets remain available for both contests, and fans can stream the games through Flo Hockey for a fee.
After this home series, the Wranglers will wrap up their regular season with one final road trip next week before heading into the off-season.
This article is based on reporting from FlamesNation. For additional coverage of the Calgary Wranglers and Calgary Flames, visit FlamesNation.ca.