PALM DESERT, CA. – Colorado rallied from two different multi-goal deficits to earn a point in the standings in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Wednesday. Forwards Mark Senden and Danil Gushchin each collected a goal and an assist for the Eagles, as goaltender Isak Posch entered in relief, making 28 saves on 30 shots. The shootout loss gives Colorado five of a possible six points to round out the team’s three-game road trip.
After killing off an early Eagles power play, Coachella Valley would start the scoring when defenseman Kaden Hammell took advantage of traffic in front of the net when he buried a wrister from the top of the right-wing circle. The goal was Hammell’s second of the season and gave the Firebirds a 1-0 advantage at the 6:40 mark of the first period.
The lead would be doubled to 2-0 just 1:06 later when forward Ian McKinnon centered the puck from the bottom of the right-wing circle, sending it off an Eagles defender and into the back of the net.
The onslaught would continue 42 seconds later when a one-on-one rush into the zone would allow forward John Hayden to light the lamp with a wrister from the slot, putting Coachella Valley on top, 3-0. The goal would also lead to a change in net for Colorado, as Trent Miner gave way to Posch for the duration.
The Eagles would cut into the Firebirds lead when Senden stripped the puck at his own blue line before racing down the ice and beating Kokko from the slot with a wrister. The goal was Senden’s first of the year and trimmed the deficit to 3-1 at the 11:33 mark of the opening frame.
Colorado would keep up the pressure, as forward Jake Wise collected a pass in the low slot and smashed it home, cutting Coachella Valley’s lead to 3-2 with 2:29 left to play in the period.
A Firebirds power play early in the second period would see Eagles forward Jayson Megna turn the tables when he collected a pass at the side of the net and tucked it home. The shorthanded tally would even the score at 3-3 at the 1:31 mark of the middle frame.
As that same power play continued, Coachella Valley would answer back when forward Carson Rehkopf buried a one-timer from the bottom of the right-wing circle, putting the Firebirds on top 4-3 with 17:36 remaining in the second stanza.
Just 1:18 later, Coachella Valley forward Logan Morrison would stuff home a loose puck at the side of the crease, extending the Firebirds advantage to 5-3.
Colorado would respond when Gushchin darted through the right-wing circle before lighting the lamp with a wrister, slicing the deficit to 5-4 at the 7:44 mark of the period. Coachella Valley would go on to outshoot the Eagles 12-8 in the period and carried a 5-4 lead into the second intermission.
Colorado defenseman Bryan Yoon would generate the equalizer, as he fed a bouncing puck in the low slot past Kokko, tying the game at 5-5 just 1:54 into the third period.
With the contest still deadlocked at 5-5 at the conclusion of 60 minutes, the game would shift to sudden-death overtime. In the extra session, the Eagles would be outshot 2-1, but Posch would keep the Firebirds at bay, and the contest would transition to a shootout.
Megna would be the only Colorado skater to light the lamp in the shootout, while Morrison and fellow forward J.R. Avon struck for Coachella Valley, giving the Firebirds the 6-5 victory.
Kokko earned the win in net, making 19 saves on 24 shots. The Eagles finished the night going 0-for-1 on the power play and 3-for-4 on the penalty kill.
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