Firebirds hang on to beat Condors, 5-4, in third consecutive overtime game in Acrisure Arena

Before Friday’s game inside Acrisure Arena, Dan Bylsma challenged his Coachella Valley Firebirds team to keep finding ways to win, night after night, in spite of the myriad challenges that will arise. Turns out it was the message the team needed prior to a tense, tight 5-4 overtime win over the Bakersfield Condors.

Playing in their third consecutive overtime game, all inside their home arena, the Firebirds entered the extra time having squandered a two-goal lead in the third period. Unlike the previous two games, though, the Firebirds put the game away before it went to a shootout.

In overtime, left winger Max McCormick found a seam in the Bakersfield defense and fired it past Condor goaltender Ryan Fanti just goal 45 seconds into extra time to seal the win in front of a crowd of 8,356.

“You’ve got to find ways to win night after night after night,” Bylsma said.

“Good teams win games a lot of different ways,” he added. “Tonight wasn’t the prettiest game, but we found a way to win in the end.”

The Coachella Valley Firebirds celebrate a goal by Jesper Froden against Bakersfield in Palm Desert, Calif., Jan. 13, 2023.

The victory further solidifies the Firebirds’ lead atop the Western Conference. The win gives the Firebirds a three-point lead over the Calgary Wranglers in the conference, which is Coachella Valley’s largest of the season with 38 games remaining in the regular season.

The victory is the ninth win in 10 games for the Firebirds (24-6-3-1). That lone loss was in an overtime shootout last Sunday, yet with the point earned from the overtime loss, the Firebirds have earned points in each of their last 10 games.

But Friday’s game didn’t come without its tense moments, particularly when Bakersfield scored on Firebirds goalie Christopher Gibson with 20 seconds remaining in regulation. It was the latest one-score game for the Firebirds, who have played in seven one-score games in their nine inside their new arena, which opened Dec. 18.

There was the Teddy Bear toss game, on Dec. 23, when Luke Henman scored the lone goal of the game with six minutes remaining versus the Henderson Silver Knights. There was the improbable comeback five days later, in which the Firebirds scored three third period goals to beat the Ontario Reign by a goal. Then there was Tuesday’s shootout that required seven rounds and a Kole Lind goal to finally put away the San Jose Barracuda.

Story continues

It’s been a roller coaster couple weeks for the Firebirds, and they seemed to have found every possible way to win. Then came another way on Friday.

The Coachella Valley Firebirds in action against Bakersfield in Palm Desert, Calif., Jan. 13, 2023.

“You’ve got to step up in those moments and you’ve got to want the puck and you’ve got to be excited for those opportunities,” McCormick said. “We have guys in our locker room who embrace that type of stuff, so I think that’s why we’re able to come out on top.”

The goals

1-0, Firebirds: Right winger John Hayden set an Acrisure Arena record, with the first goal of the game just 15 seconds following the opening faceoff. It was the fastest any player has scored in a game inside the arena, which opened Dec. 18. It was Hayden’s 13th goal of the season. Cameron Hughes assisted on the play.

John Hayden scores for the Coachella Valley Firebirds against the Bakersfield Condors during the Firebirds win in Palm Desert, Calif., Jan. 13, 2023.

Ty Kartye set the previous record, last Sunday, with a goal 17 seconds after the faceoff.

2-0: Jesper Frödén, added a second Firebirds goal just 96 seconds later, on an unassisted goal. It was Frödén’s 18th goal of the season. Only three AHL players had more this season entering Friday’s game.

2-1: Ty Tullio put the Condors on the scoreboard with a goal just 1:35 into the second period. Raphael Lavoie assisted on the play.

3-1: Defenseman Jimmy Schuldt answered right back with a slapshot in front of the Condors goal. The goal was Schuldt’s sixth of the season, and his third in the last eight games. Lind and Kartye assisted.

3-2: On a power play, Xavier Bourgault found the back of the net when, on a break, he took a pass in front of the Firebirds’ goal and managed to slip it past Coachella Valley goaltender Christopher Gibson. Brad Malone and Max Gildon were credited with assists on the goal.

4-2: On a power play, Frödén added his second goal — and 19th of the season — with 13 seconds remaining in the second period. McCormick and Ryker Evans assisted on the play.

The goal came with the Condors applying pressure, so it brought the home crowd to its feet. The roar of the crowd was among the loudest of the night.

Cameron Hughes brings the puck up the ice during the Firebirds victory over Bakersfield in Palm Desert, Calif., Jan. 13, 2023.

4-3: Lavoie scores midway through the third period to bring the Condors back into the game. Luke Esposito and Tullio recorded assists.

4-4: With just 20 seconds remaining in regulation, Carter Savoie found the back of the net to shock the home crowd and send the game into overtime. Malone and Yanni Kaldis assisted.

5-4, Firebirds: McCormick wasted little time in overtime, scoring just 45 into extra time to seal the game for the Firebirds. Brogan Rafferty and Andrew Poturalski recorded assists.

Firebirds’ player of the game

McCormick is an obvious candidate, but you also have to consider Frödén, who I’ll give the nod to here.

Frödén was perhaps the most notable omission when the American Hockey League announced its rosters for the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic on Wednesday. Maybe it’s no coincidence that the 28-year-old right winger from Sweden had perhaps his biggest game of the season two days later.

Jesper Frödén shoots for the Coachella Valley Firebirds against Bakersfield in Palm Desert, Calif., Jan. 13, 2023.

In the Firebirds’ first game since the All-Star rosters were announced, Frödén scored twice, once early and again late, in his second multi-goal game of the season. It was his second goal, as the Firebirds stagnated on offense and the Condors had cut the deficit to a single goal, that shifted the game’s momentum, loosened the Firebirds up and gave Coachella Valley a two-goal cushion heading into the final period.

Had the Firebirds not allowed a goal with mere seconds to play in regulation, Frödén’s second goal would have been the game-winner.

Ice nuggets

Jan. 31 game rescheduled: The Firebirds announced Friday that the Tuesday, Jan. 31 game versus the San Jose Barracuda has been rescheduled for Feb. 27. Puck drop will remain 7 p.m. at Acrisure Arena.

The game was moved to make it possible for the arena to host Harry Styles in his 104-date international global tour. Styles will play at Acrisure Arena on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.

All tickets that were purchased for the Jan. 31 Firebirds game will be honored for Feb. 27.

Home cooking: The Firebirds are 7-1-0-1 inside Acrisure Arena, which opened Dec. 18. They’ve had just one loss in regulation and the other came in last Sunday’s overtime shootout.

Goalie Christopher Gibson and Eddie Wittchow defend the goal for the Coachella Valley Firebirds against BakersfieldÕs Dino Kambeitz in Palm Desert, Calif., Jan. 13, 2023.

Gibson gets seventh win: Gibson, who filled in for starter Joey Daccord, recorded the win with 34 saves on the night. Gibson is 7-2-3-1 in 13 games as a starter this season. He has allowed an average of 2.85 goals in those games but had not allowed more than two over his last four games.

Next game

Monday: Up next for the Firebirds is a home game against Tucson at 3 p.m. Monday.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Firebirds hang on, beat Condors, 5-4, in third consecutive overtime game