February 12, 2025: Firebirds drop a wild one in Henderson, 5–4
The first game of the week featured plenty of offense, but the Firebirds came up just short against the Silver Knights. Ty Nelson opened the scoring early in the first period, and Jani Nyman added his 19th of the season in the final minute to give Coachella Valley a 2–1 lead. Henderson countered with three second-period goals and built a 5–3 cushion in the third, though Luke Henman’s tally at 10:11 brought the Firebirds within one. Despite a flurry of late chances, Coachella Valley couldn’t find the equalizer, falling 5–4 in a back-and-forth road battle.
February 15, 2025: Gulls foil Firebirds, 5–3
Returning home on February 15, the Firebirds squared off against the San Diego Gulls in a high-event contest. Ben Meyers (16th goal) and Jagger Firkus (10th) each struck on the power play in the opening period, but Coachella Valley still trailed 3–2 after 20 minutes. Tucker Robertson equalized early in the second, knotting the score 3–3. The Gulls seized control early in the third with a goal just 38 seconds in, then added a late empty-netter for a 5–3 decision. Despite multi-point efforts from Firkus (1G, 1A) and another strong night for the power play, the Firebirds couldn’t overcome San Diego’s opportunistic attack.
February 16, 2025: Shootout thriller – Firebirds top Condors, 4–3
In the final game of the week, Coachella Valley broke through for a much-needed victory over Bakersfield—albeit in dramatic fashion. A tightly contested affair was tied 3–3 after regulation, with Jacob Melanson and Ben Meyers finding the net, plus Jani Nyman adding his 20th of the year. The teams traded chances throughout overtime, but neither side could end it before the shootout. Coachella Valley eventually prevailed 4–3 thanks to shootout conversions from Brandon Biro, Daniel Sprong, and Eduard Šalé. Goalie Aleš Stezka turned aside 31 shots in regulation and overtime to help secure two valuable points for the Firebirds.
State of the Firebirds
Despite dropping their first two contests this week, the Firebirds salvaged a crucial win in the finale. Jani Nyman continues to impress, leading all AHL rookies with 20 goals, while the offense got timely contributions from players like Ben Meyers and Jacob Melanson. Defensive lapses were costly, but the resilience shown in the shootout victory provides a spark of momentum heading deeper into the second half of the season.
Key performers of the week
- Jani Nyman – The rookie phenom tallied two goals in three games, hitting the 20-goal mark and staying atop the league’s rookie leaderboard.
- Ben Meyers – Recorded a power-play goal against San Diego and a key tally in the shootout thriller, showcasing his knack for big moments.
- Jacob Melanson – Chipped in critical offense when needed, including the game-tying marker against Bakersfield to help force overtime and eventual shootout heroics.