The Coachella Valley Firebirds endured a tough week, dropping all three of their contests by narrow margins. Their typically productive offense mustered only three goals combined, a notable dip that coincided with the departure of leading scorer Jani Nyman to the Seattle Kraken. Although they slipped one spot in the Pacific Division standings, the Firebirds remain firmly in the mix for a playoff berth with 13 regular-season games left to play. Here’s how the action unfolded.
March 12, 2025: Colorado cools Coachella
Kicking off the week at home, Coachella Valley fell 4–1 to a disciplined Colorado squad. After a tight, scoreless opening 16 minutes, the Eagles struck first when Chase Bradley capitalized late in the first period. Colorado doubled its lead on a second-period power-play goal from Chris Wagner, putting the Firebirds on their heels. Coachella Valley finally broke through in the third, with Ben Meyers burying a feed from Nikolas Brouillard and Brandon Biro. However, back-to-back tallies—including an empty-netter—sealed the visitors’ victory. Nikke Kokko turned aside 24 shots, keeping the team in the game, but the Firebirds couldn’t find enough offense to match Colorado’s firepower.
March 14, 2025: Condors clip Firebirds in overtime
On Friday, Coachella Valley visited Bakersfield looking for a rebound. The contest remained a defensive stalemate through most of the first and second periods until David Goyette broke the ice at 14:05 of the middle frame. His third goal of the season was set up by Ville Ottavainen and Jagger Firkus. The Firebirds entered the final stanza up 1–0, but Connor Carrick equalized just 22 seconds into the third. Regulation ended in a 1–1 tie, and less than 30 seconds into overtime, Bakersfield’s Drake Caggiula found the net, sending Coachella Valley to a heartbreaking 2–1 defeat.
March 15, 2025: Knights edge Firebirds in a nail-biter
Hoping to salvage the week, the Firebirds took the ice against Henderson on Saturday. Things started positively, as Ville Ottavainen powered home a shot from the point for his third goal of the season midway through the first. However, Henderson responded less than a minute later through Kai Uchacz. The Silver Knights then took the lead in the second period on an Alexander Holtz goal, and Coachella Valley was stymied the rest of the way, falling by the same 2–1 margin.
State of the Firebirds
Despite a winless week, the Firebirds remain in strong contention for a playoff spot with 13 games left on the schedule. They’ve slipped one position in the Pacific Division standings, but the overall race is still tight enough for Coachella Valley to climb back quickly if they rediscover their scoring touch. The recent call-up of Jani Nyman—who’s already scored twice at the NHL level—has undoubtedly impacted the offensive flow, but the Firebirds boast enough depth to rebound. Cleaning up defensive lapses and capitalizing on special-teams opportunities will be key as they look to right the ship and regain ground in the standings.
Key performers of the week
- Ben Meyers – Recorded the lone goal in Wednesday’s loss, providing a spark when the Firebirds needed it most.
- David Goyette – Tallied a crucial go-ahead marker against Bakersfield, showcasing his knack for finding open space and finishing in tight games.
- Ville Ottavainen – Scored the Firebirds’ only goal on Saturday, adding valuable minutes on the blue line and contributing at both ends of the ice.
With a busy stretch looming and postseason hopes on the line, the Firebirds will need to regroup quickly. If they can adapt to Nyman’s absence and rekindle their usual offensive firepower, Coachella Valley remains well-positioned to make noise in the playoff race.