Five Firebirds score in fourth-straight win over Bakersfield Condors
The Coachella Valley Firebirds dominate the Bakersfield Condors, 5-2, at home for their fourth win in a row.
Coachella Valley opened the scoring at 11:37 as Logan Morrison finished off a 2-on-1 rush with Cameron Hughes. The goal was Morrison’s sixth of the season and the secondary assist belonged to Kole Lind. Bakersfield responded just 16 seconds later on a Dino Kambeitz goal to make it 1-1.
The Firebirds regained their lead just 1:09 into the second period. Tucker Robertson got the puck from Max McCormick and wristed the puck past a sprawling Jack Campbell to make it 2-1. The goal was Robertson’s third of the season and the second helper belonged to Jimmy Schuldt. McCormick found a goal of his own at 8:21 to give Coachella Valley a two-goal lead. Andrew Poturalski knocked down the puck in the offensive zone and found McCormick, sneaking a shot through Campbell for his team-leading 11th of the season.
The home team closed out the second period with two more goals, one from Peetro Seppala at 11:09 and one from Ryan Winterton at 15:38. Seppala’s goal was his first of the season and his second in the AHL, with his first coming back on December 10th, 2022, also against Bakersfield. Olivier Rodrigue replaced Jack Campbell after Seppala’s strike.
Winterton was sprung on a breakaway by Jacob Melanson and roofed a backhander over the shoulder of the Condor netminder for his fourth of the season. Raphael Lavoie scored with under four minutes left in the period to pull his team within three.
Firebirds’ captain Max McCormick tied the game on a wrist shot at 8:27 of the third after a pass from Lind found him down the left win. Melanson was awarded the secondary helper on McCormick’s team-leading 10th goal of the season.
Goaltender Jack LaFontaine made 25 saves on 27 shots for his second straight victory.
The Firebirds powerplay went 0-for-1 and the penalty kill finished the night 1-for-1.
See the game’s full box score HERE.
And be sure to check out Sunday's game against the Colorado Eagles on the CW starting at 4:30 p.m.
