Kraken Chronicle
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Coachella Valley Firebirds recap: Dec 31 - Jan 6

Dec 31 - Firebirds 4, Eagles 1

Jan 4 - Firebirds 4, Reign 3

Jan 5 - Firebirds 3, Gulls 2 (OT)

ByNik Davis|
Coachella Valley forward Lleyton Roed celebrates a goal to give the Firebirds a 2-1 lead during the second period of their game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024.
Coachella Valley forward Lleyton Roed celebrates a goal to give the Firebirds a 2-1 lead during the second period of their game at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. | Andy Abeyta/The Desert Sun / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

December 31, 2024: New Year’s Eve fireworks as Firebirds fend off Eagles

The Firebirds rang in the new year with a bang, shrugging off an early 1–0 deficit to rattle off four unanswered goals and beat the Eagles, 4–1. Logan Morrison and Lleyton Roed both notched a goal and an assist, while Ryan Winterton added another marker. Between the pipes, Niklas Kokko turned aside 23 of 24 shots, keeping Colorado off the board after the first period and securing the strong home victory.

January 5, 2025: Coachella Valley outlasts Ontario on the road

A balanced scoring attack carried Coachella Valley to a 4–3 decision over Ontario in a tense matchup. The Firebirds lit the lamp in each period and built a 4–1 lead thanks to tallies from Jani Nyman, Lleyton Roed (on the power play), Ryan Winterton, and Max McCormick. Ontario stormed back with two quick goals in the third, but Kokko (32 saves) and the Firebirds’ defense shut the door late to seal the win.

January 6, 2025: Overtime drama as Firebirds edge Gulls

Coachella Valley wrapped up its busy week in dramatic fashion, picking up a 3–2 overtime win on the road. Mitchell Stephens opened the scoring, then set up Jagger Firkus for a two-goal cushion in the second. San Diego clawed back with two quick strikes in the final frame, forcing overtime. That’s when the Firebirds’ power play came through, as Jani Nyman buried the sudden-death winner off a feed from Nikolas Brouillard and Logan Morrison.

Key performers of the week

  • Logan Morrison – Chipped in points across all three games, including setting up the OT winner in San Diego.
  • Jani Nyman – Came up clutch with two goals this week, highlighted by the OT game-winner against San Diego.
  • Niklas Kokko – Posted a perfect 2–0 record in net this week, highlighted by a 23-save performance on New Year’s Eve.

State of the Firebirds

With three straight wins, the Firebirds now stand in 4th place in the Pacific Division—an impressive climb fueled by key contributions throughout the lineup. Their combination of timely offense and clutch goaltending kept them undefeated this week, and the resilience shown late in games suggests this group is finding another gear as the season rolls on.

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