The Coachella Valley Firebirds defeated the San Diego Gulls on Friday by the final score of 5-1. Five different goal scorers aided the Firebirds to their 34th win of the season and help the team extend their point streak to eight straight games.
The Firebirds netted the first goal with 1:23 left in the first period. John Hayden drove to the net on the powerplay and wristed the puck past Tomas Suchanek to put Coachella Valley on top 1-0. Cameron Hughes and Devin Shore added the assists on Hayden’s 10th of the season.
Coachella Valley added four goals in the middle frame to extend their lead to 5-0. Max McCormick, skating in his 600th game as a pro, sparked the offense 33 seconds into the second period while Ryan Winterton (Hughes, Carrick), Connor Carrick (Lind – PP), and Tucker Robertson (Ottavainen, Wright) all hit the back of the net. Carrick and Robertson’ goals came within 31 seconds of one another.
Ben King spoiled Ales Stezka’s shutout bid with 7:54 left in the third period to cut the Gulls’ deficit to four. Stezka stopped 18 shots to pick up his 14th win of the season.
The victory moves Coachella Valley’s record to 34-13-5-3 and gives them points in 18 of their last 19 games. The Firebirds finished 2-for-2 on the powerplay and the penalty kill went 2-for-2. Coachella Valley outshot San Diego 31-19. The win also extends the Firebirds’ lead in the Pacific Division standings to seven points and in the Western Conference to three.
For the game’s full box score, click HERE.
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