January 22, 2025: Shootout Heartbreak
The Firebirds came out flying on Wednesday night, with Logan Morrison striking just over a minute into the game off feeds from Lleyton Roed and Daniel Sprong. San Jose battled back to take a 2–1 lead in the second period, but Jani Nyman knotted things up on the power play, and Max Lajoie struck moments later for a 3–2 Firebirds advantage. The Barracuda tied it in the third, forcing overtime and ultimately prevailing in the shootout. Despite the frustrating finish, Coachella Valley skated away with a hard-earned point on the road.
January 25, 2025: Reign Blank Firebirds in Ontario
Saturday’s showdown was all Ontario, as the Reign kept Coachella Valley off the scoreboard and limited quality scoring chances. The Firebirds generated 20 shots on goal but couldn’t solve the opposing netminder. Three different Ontario players scored, including a late empty-netter that sealed the 3–0 final. Goaltender Nikke Kokko turned aside 18 of 20 shots in a solid showing, but the offense never found its rhythm.
January 26, 2025: Condors Clip Firebirds Late
Returning home on Sunday, Coachella Valley fell behind 2–0 before Jagger Firkus buried his eighth of the season in the second period to cut the deficit in half. Bakersfield quickly answered, making it 3–1 heading into the third. Ryan Winterton cashed in early in the final frame to bring the Firebirds within one, but that’s as close as they would get, dropping a tight 3–2 decision. Ales Stezka made 25 saves between the pipes, though the team’s comeback bid fell just short.
State of the Firebirds
The Firebirds endured a tough week, going 0–2–1 across three games. A promising start in San Jose ended in a shootout loss, followed by back-to-back defeats at Ontario and back home against Bakersfield. Still, there are positives to build upon—Coachella Valley’s early offense in San Jose looked sharp, and the team showed resilience clawing back against the Condors. Cleaning up defensive lapses and re-energizing the power play will be key focus areas as the Firebirds look to bounce back and keep pace in the Pacific Division playoff race.
Key performers of the week
- Logan Morrison – Opened the scoring in San Jose and continued to lead by example with strong puck work, now sitting at 10 goals on the season.
- Jani Nyman – Provided a crucial power-play spark in the first game, notching his 16th goal and remaining a big-bodied net-front threat.
- Jagger Firkus – Tallied a goal in the final contest, showing flashes of creativity and scoring touch that the Firebirds hope to harness more consistently moving forward.