2–3 and 3–8. In danger of elimination in the best-of-five series, the Firebirds rebounded with 7–4 and 6–4 wins. In the second round, the Firebirds faced the west division's first place team and defending playoffs champion, the Johnstown Jets in a best-of-seven series. In a very high scoring series, Philadelphia prevailed in 5 games, by scores of 5–4, 3–6, 7–5, 4–3, and 14–10 in a wild fifth game on home ice. The Firebirds faced the Beauce Jaros in the NAHL finals, the first place team in the east division. The Jaros had won 54 games in the regular season, and led the league in goals scored with 462 and penalty minutes with 2134. On the road for the first two games, the Firebirds won 7–5, and lost 4–7. In Philadelphia for games three and four, the Firebirds won 6–1, then lost 6–7. Philadelphia won game five 6–4 on the road to set up game six at home. The Firebirds won 5–2 on home ice to win the Lockhart Cup as NAHL champions in front of a crowd of 9223 fans. Philadelphia averaged 5.94 goals scored per game during 16 playoff games. Since both Firebirds goaltenders were injured, Gaye Cooley filled in after winning the 1976 Southern Hockey League championship with the Charlotte Checkers. 1976–77 In the 1976–77 NAHL season, Gord Brooks led the Firebirds with 65 goals, 59 assists, and 124 points. Bob Collyard had another good year with 31 goals, 85 assists, and 116 points. Philadelphia also had two more 32 goal scorers in George Swarbrick and Randy Osburn. Goaltender Rejean Lemelin played a career high 51 games in net with 26 wins. The team finished the season fourth place in the NAHL with a 38–33–3 record and 79 points. The Firebirds faced the fifth place Erie Blades in the first round of the playoffs. Philadelphia won the first game 4–3, but lost the next three games in the best-of-five series by scores of 4–5, 5–6 and, 1–4 to finish the season. AHL, 1977–1980 1977–78 When the NAHL folded after the 1976–77 season, the Firebirds acquired an American Hockey League expansion franchise for the 1977–78 AHL season, and affiliated with the NHL's Detroit Red Wings. Danny Belisle was named the new coach and general manager. The team was built with several Red Wings prospects, and many of the top players from the Firebirds' NAHL seasons returned. Gord Brooks and