Kole Lind’s Second Hatty of the Season Helped Coachella Valley to Victory in San Jose
The Firebirds defeated the San Jose Barracuda in convincing fashion on Friday night by the final score of 8-3 at Tech CU Arena. Kole Lind netted his second hat trick of the season to help set the franchise record for most goals in a game.
The Firebirds scored a franchise record five goals in the first period, their most in a single period since they tallied four in the second period against Calgary on October 16. Max McCormick hit the back of the net in his 400th AHL game after redirecting a Peetro Seppala slap-pass into the back of the net just 1:46 into the game. Brogan Rafferty banked the puck off Barracuda netminder Aaron Dell to record his second goal of the season and make it 2-0 at 4:50.
San Jose scored on their first shot of the game at 6:05 of the first period. Jeffrey Viel wristed the puck through the five-hole of Joey Daccord to cut Coachella Valley’s lead in half.
Coachella Valley responded quickly with two goals in :45. One from Kole Lind and the second from John Hayden (PPG) to regain a two-goal lead for the Firebirds.
The Firebirds went back to the powerplay and cashed in for a second time, thanks to Lind’s second of the game to put Coachella Valley up 5-1 in the first period.
San Jose scored on their first shot of the game at 6:05 of the first period. Jeffrey Viel wristed the puck through the five-hole of Joey Daccord to cut Coachella Valley’s lead in half.
Coachella Valley responded quickly with two goals in :45. One from Kole Lind and the second from John Hayden (PPG) to regain a two-goal lead for the Firebirds. The Firebirds went back to the powerplay and cashed in for a second time, thanks to Lind’s second of the game to put Coachella Valley up 5-1 in the first period.
Lind completed the hat trick with his third goal of the game just 1:53 into the second period. Hayden and Ryker Evans were awarded the assists on the Firebirds third powerplay goal of the game. San Jose found a response on a William Eklund goal at 13:39 of the second period.
Lind completed the hat trick with his third goal of the game just 1:53 into the second period.
Hayden and Ryker Evans were awarded the assists on the Firebirds third powerplay goal of the game.
Lind completed the hat trick with his third goal of the game just 1:53 into the second period. Hayden and Ryker Evans were awarded the assists on the Firebirds third powerplay goal of the game. San Jose found a response on a William Eklund goal at 13:39 of the second period.
In the third period, Montana Onyebuchi got the Barracuda to within three before McCormick registered the fourth Firebirds powerplay goal of the game for his second of the night to make it 7-3. Andrew Poturalski capped off the scoring with a goal with just 1:29 left.
Daccord made 13 saves in the win as the Firebirds move to 12-4-2-0 on the season.
With the victory, Coachella Valley has now won a season-high five straight games. The Firebirds finished 4-for-5 on the powerplay and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill. The Firebirds tied their franchise record in shots in a game with 37.
Read the game’s box score HERE.
NEXT GAME: Coachella Valley heads to Bakersfield for a matchup against the Condors on Saturday, December 10. Puck drop is scheduled for 7pm PT
Individual game tickets are now on sale for all Firebirds home games for the 2022-2023 season, including tickets for the historic home opener that will take place at Acrisure Arena on Sunday, December 18, 2022, against the Tucson Roadrunners. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:00pm PT. Individual game tickets start at just $19!