The Firebirds got the last laugh.
After an embarrassing loss to the Bakersfield Condors to begin the Calder Cup Playoffs, Coachella Valley returned home Saturday and eked out a Game 2 win on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, the Firebirds poured it on in a 6-2 series-clinching win inside Acrisure Arena.
This seemed like an unlikely outcome after getting blitzed, 6-1, in Bakersfield on Thursday. Star goalie Nikke Kokko allowed 10 goals in the first two playoff games, with a save percentage of just 73.7%.
But Firebirds head coach Derek Laxdal stuck with Kokko, despite having another capable netminder available in Victor Ostman. Kokko, and a 4-goal second period, were the big differences Sunday.
The Condors outshot the Firebirds, 15-5, in the first period and had an 11-1 advantage in true scoring chances, but Kokko kept them in the game early.
“What do you say about Nikke Kokko?” Firebirds head coach Derek Laxdal said. “He was outstanding.”
The Firebirds will now face the Ontario Reign in a best-of-five series. Game 1 will be Wednesday and Game 2 will be Friday. Both games will be in Ontario. Game 4 will be May 5 inside Acrisure Arena, and Game 4, if necessary, will be May 7 at Acrisure Arena. A potential Game 5 would be on May 9 in Ontario.
The Reign won the Pacific Division and received a first round postseason bye. Ontario leads the season series, 5-3, and won all three head-to-head matchups between the two teams in April.
On Sunday, the Firebirds got a huge lift from Jagger Firkus, who ended the regular season inactive and injured, and Jacob Melanson and Oscar Mølgaard, who finished the NHL season with Coachella Valley’s affiliate, the Seattle Kraken. After J. R. Avon scored on a power play, Firkus scored, then Melanson and Jani Nyman each added goals of their own. Mølgaard assisted on two of them.
“It was probably one of the best periods I’ve seen out team play all year,” Laxdal said.
Damien Carfagna and Quinn Hutson scored for Bakersfield in the third to make the game more interesting.
But Coachella Valley wasn’t done. Logan Morrison scored in the third to extend the lead, before Mølgaard added an empty net goal with less than three minutes remaining. Melanson assisted on that one.
For the game, Mølgaard finished with three points, Nyman with three points and Melanson, Firkus and Morrison with two points apiece.
Kokko recorded 28 saves in the win. The Firebirds were 1-for-2 on the power play and 1-for-2 on the penalty kill.
After struggling on the power play during the regular season, Coachella Valley has now scored three power play goals in three postseason games.
Kokko said that Saturday’s win was “huge.” He said that it gave the Firebirds life.
Melanson said that he believed all along that the Firebirds would come back to win the series, even after the 6-1 loss in Game 1.
“Even after the loss in Bakersfield, I had a ton of belief in this group,” he said. “I knew we were going to bounce back the right way. The way that the culture is here, it was built from Day 1 and it’s unbelievable.”
[This story has been updated to add new information.]
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 look sharp, motivated in series-clinching win over Condors
Reporting by Andrew John, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
