The Coachella Valley Firebirds are in fourth place in the American Hockey League’s Pacific Division after Wednesday’s 5-2 win over the Calgary Wranglers. And their scoring ability should give fans a lot of hope for an exciting end to the 2025-26 season.
That’s because the win marked the sixth time in eight games since March 7 that the Firebirds have scored at least four goals. Coachella Valley is unbeaten in those games and has won seven of the last eight.
At a time in the regular season when defenses are tightening up, the Firebirds have continued to find ways to put the puck into the back of the net.
Only five teams in the AHL have scored more goals this season. The Firebirds now have 206 in 61 games.
“Give the guys a lot of credit,” Firebirds head coach Derek Laxdal said. “They’re doing what we’re asking them to do, concept-side, offensively.”
On Wednesday, the Firebirds (35-21-5) fell behind twice and managed to come back to win. Jani Nyman, who few more than seven hours from Florida on Wednesday, scored two goals, including Coachella Valley’s first and last. He was reassigned to the Firebirds after a stint with their NHL affiliate, the Seattle Kraken, who were playing in Miami.
“It was a long day for me,” Nyman said, “but I feel very good right now.”
Ty Nelson, Eduard Sale and Logan Morrison added the other three goals for Coachella Valley.
That the Firebirds were able to come back not once but twice says a lot of about this team, and it shows that if this team can continue to score goals late in the season they’ll be dangerous.
“It’s huge,” said newly acquired forward Cooper Marody. “The game’s just harder late in the year, going into the playoffs. But we have a playoff mindset right now.”
In the net, Nikke Kokko got the win, and saved 22 of 24 shots. For the game, the Firebirds were 1-of-5 on the power play and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.
The goals
First period
1-0, Wranglers. Dryden Hunt scored the first goal, at the 9:05 mark. It was his 17th goal of the season.
Second period
1-1. Nyman scored his 19th goal of the season at the 1:54 mark of the period. Marody and Tyson Jugnauth assisted.
2-1, Wranglers. Nick Cicek then gave the Wranglers their second lead of the game, on a goal at the 4:14 mark.
2-2. Nelson scored at the 14:30 mark, on an assist from Marody and Gustav Olofsson. It was Nelson’s ninth goal of the season.
3-2, Firebirds. Sale added further separation with a goal at the 18:43 mark. It was his 11th goal of the season, and it was assisted by Mitchell Stephens.
Third period
4-2. Morrison scored his 27th goal of the season on a 5-on-3 power play early in the third. Jagger Firkus and Nikke Kokko assisted.
5-2. Nyman scored on empty-net goal in the final seconds to add the fifth goal of the game for the Firebirds.
Marody’s addition
The Firebirds acquired Marody, a veteran forward, in a trade with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on March 12, and he has already given the team a huge boost since his arrival.
On Wednesday, Marody’s pair of assists followed a game in which he also added a pair of assists, and the 29-year-old now has five assists in five games with Coachella Valley. All five of those points have come in the span of the last three games.
Laxdal said that Marody adds another capable forward to the lineup and Sale said that while Marody is an “old guy,” he knows how to play hockey and has added leadership to the locker room.
Andrew John covers the Firebirds for The Desert Sun and USA TODAY. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Firebirds extend win streak to three, jump back up the AHL standings
Reporting by Andrew John, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
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