The Abbotsford Canucks had a quick turnaround, travelling some miles east to take on the Coachella Valley Firebirds. The last time these two teams met was in Round 2 of the Calder Cup Playoffs, where Abbotsford advanced.
Anri Ravinskis and Josh Bloom drew into the lineup up front, while Phip Waugh slotted back in next to Joe Arntsen on the blue line. Aku Koskenvuo got the start between the pipes, facing Victor Ă–stman for the Firebirds.
The first period was eventful, with Abbotsford looking to make a splash early. Just under four minutes in, Ben Berard and Jonathan Lekkerimäki broke out on an odd-man rush, where a cross-ice feed from Berard allowed Lekkerimäki to rip home his first of the season, putting Abbotsford ahead. Koskenvuo followed up with a series of big saves to keep them in front. Unfortunately, a Canucks penalty proved costly when Jacob Melanson buried the tying goal on the power play. With time winding down, Jagger Firkus snuck one through to give Coachella a 2–1 lead heading into the second. Despite the score, Abbotsford put forth a strong opening frame and aimed to build on that momentum.
The Canucks opened the second period on the penalty kill, making it tough to generate early chances. Around the halfway mark, Tyson Jugnauth extended the Firebirds’ lead to 3–1. Koskenvuo continued to come up with impressive stops, but Melanson struck again to make it 4–1.
The teams battled to the very end, and with under a minute remaining, a late Abbotsford power play—and a 6-on-4 advantage—allowed Berard to cash in to make it 4–2. But with the net still empty, Melanson completed the hat trick with an empty-netter, sealing Coachella Valley’s 5–2 win.
Abbotsford drops this one 5–2, but will continue their road trip next weekend as they take on the San Jose Barracuda.