Hot start for 2024: Firebirds dominate Calgary in back-to-back wins
After an explosive 6-1 victory in Calgary on Monday, the Coachella Valley Firebirds rematched the Wranglers on the same ice on Tuesday, winning again with a final score of 3-1. Local fans enjoyed two days of domination over the top team in the AHL Pacific Division.
The Wranglers netted the first goal of the game at 9:19 of the first period as Clark Bishop muscled his way into the offensive zone and beat Firebirds netminder Cale Morris to give Calgary a 1-0 lead.
Coachella Valley found the tying tally 1:37 into the third period. Kole Lind moved in over the Wranglers’ blue line and passed the puck to Shane Wright who wristed a shot over Oskar Dansk to make it a 1-1 game. The secondary assist on Wright’s 11th goal of the season was awarded to Ville Ottavainen.
The Firebirds took their first lead of the game in the closing minutes of the third period. Logan Morrison gained the puck in the zone and raced to the front of the net, beating Dansk five hole for his seventh of the season with 2:59 left. Marian Studenic earned the helper on the eventual game-winner. Moments after the Firebirds killed off a late Wranglers’ powerplay, Cameron Hughes sealed the victory with an empty net goal.
Cale Morris made 30 saves in the victory that moves Coachella Valley to a 17-10-2-0 record on the season and 12-3-0-0 on the road. The Firebirds did not have a powerplay in the game, but the penalty kill finished the night 3-for-3.
Coachella Valley Firebirds
In Monday's game, Ales Stezka made 29 saves in the victory that moves Coachella Valley to a 16-10-2-0 record on the season.
HOT start to 2024 🔥 #LetsFly pic.twitter.com/k69ch0wTI5
— Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) January 1, 2024
The team provided detailed context to Monday's win, sending official broadcast partners News Channel 3 this recap of the excitement from Canada:
John Hayden scored a pair of goals in the Firebirds first win of 2024.
The Firebirds opened the scoring in the first period on John Hayden’s second goal of the season. Logan Morrison fired the puck off the pads of Calgary netminder Dustin Wolf, ricocheting onto the stick of Hayden who forced it five-hole to give Coachella Valley the 1-0 lead. Marian Studenic earned the secondary assist on the tally at 5:09 of the opening frame. The Wranglers tied the game 34 seconds later on a Yan Kuznetsov goal.
Coachella Valley exploded for three goals in the second period to lead 4-1 after forty minutes of play. Kole Lind snapped an eight-game goalless drought with a powerplay goal at 3:57 with the assists belonging to Ryker Evans and Tucker Robertson. Jacob Melanson added another powerplay goal at 6:33 as he found the puck in his skates after Cameron Hughes centered it from behind the net. Melanson’s goal was his third of the season and Cale Fleury earned the secondary helper.
John Hayden redirected home his second goal of the game as Evans moved the puck from the boards right to Hayden’s stick. Robertson picked up his second assist of the game on Hayden’s third of the season at 11:02.
Andrew Poturalski and Ryan Winterton added goals in the third period as Coachella Valley went on to defeat Calgary 6-1. The Firebirds outshot the Wranglers 40-30.
Coachella Valley Firebirds
Upcoming home games
After three games on the road, the Firebirds return to home ice to face the Abbotsford Canucks on Saturday, January 6 for Hometown Heroes Night. The puck drops for that game at 6:00 p.m.
The team rematches the Canucks the following day at 2:00 at Acrisure Arena.
Check out our special section on the Coachella Valley Firebirds
