Devin Shore he’s adjusting quickly to playoff hockey.
The nine-year veteran has played 443 games in the National Hockey League, but has had little experience in the postseason. There were three games with the Texas Stars in 2015 shortly after he graduated from the University of Maine. He played two playoff games with Columbus in the 2020 Stanley Cup bubble, and two more with Edmonton in 2021.
So Shore immediately jumped at the chance to play for the Calder Cup this spring with Coachella Valley. He has three points in the first three games of the Firebirds’ divisional semifinal against Calgary, including the overtime winner in Game 2. His third-period power-play goal in Game 3 put his team ahead for good in a 7-5 victory, giving the Firebirds a chance to close out the series tonight.
“I think we stuck with it like we did all year,” Shore told reporters after Wednesday’s win. “You make a plan and you try your best to implement that plan, but I can assure you that things will go wrong over there. It’s about sticking to it and noticing each play, each change, even each small play in the game independent of the previous games regardless of whether it went well.”
Shore, who signed as a free agent with Seattle late in the season, had 25 points in 39 regular season games for the Coachella Valley. He added a goal and three assists in 21 games with the Kraken.
“There are many surprising things in the playoffs, many unexpected things,” he continued. “Just keep playing. Go ahead and enjoy it. It’s nice over there.”
The Milwaukee Admirals got another key piece back as they try to extend their season tonight.
All-Star defender Spencer Stastney was cleared to return to the Admirals after being injured in Game 3 of Nashville’s Stanley Cup Playoff series against Vancouver two weeks ago.
The Mequon, Wis., native registered 20 points and a 27-point average in 44 games with Milwaukee during the regular season. He also had two goals and two assists in 20 regular season games with Nashville before making his NHL postseason debut.
― with files from Patrick Williams
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