THOUSAND PALMS, Calif. – The Iowa Wild entered the third period with an opportunity to earn a series split against the Coachella Valley Firebirds, but Cameron Hughes and Kole Lind scored to put away a 3-1 win for the Firebirds. Nic Petan scored Iowa’s lone goal in the defeat. 
Carsen Twarynski gave the Firebirds the lead 3:57 into the game with a shorthanded goal that bounced off the back of Zane McIntyre (23 saves) and in.
Coachella Valley carried the 1-0 lead and a 15-11 shot advantage into the first intermission.
The Wild broke through on the power play with 3:10 remaining in the second period. Steven Fogarty set up Marco Rossi along the half wall, who snapped a pass through the middle of the ice to Nic Petan. Petan fired a one-timer between the legs of Joey Daccord (36 saves) to tie the game at 1-1.
Hughes restored the lead for Coachella Valley at 9:32 of the third period. After the Firebirds broke up a pass at center ice, Hughes skated around the Iowa defense and pulled the puck to his backhand to beat McIntyre over the left pad.
Lind provided the Firebirds with an insurance goal and made the score 3-1 with 5:09 to play. With Coachella Valley on the power play, Max McCormick set up Lind just inside the right circle for a one-timer past the blocker of McIntyre.
The Wild pulled McIntyre in favor of an extra attacker in the closing minutes but were unable to close the gap.
Iowa outshot Coachella Valley 37-26. The Wild went 1-for-6 on the power play while the Firebirds were 1-for-3 with the man advantage.
Iowa travels to take on the San Diego Gulls at Pechanga Arena Saturday, Mar. 18 at 9 p.m.
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