What Happened in Game 2?
Goalscoring. Lots of Goalscoring.
But notably, the Firebirds answered big time; winning the game and extending the series!
Game 3 Recap
The Firebirds used that home playoff atmosphere, which since their opening season has been incredible; to finally unlock their scoring potential; getting goals from Eduard Šale, Jagger Firkus, Mitchell Stephens, and two from Oskar Fisker Mølgaard. The Firebirds made it clear that Acrisure Arena is a hard place to play in April…
…They just did it in a much more loosey goosey than they usually do.
So! With an all-important Game 3 that allows them to either go home too early or continue playing, what did they decide to do?
Go down to Fred Meyer’s (or locally, Albertson’s), grab a nice hefty can of whoop-ass, and open it right on top of Bakersfield without even a shred of remorse. And oh what a glorious, remorseless asskicking it was.
Round Recap:
- After a mediocre start, the Firebirds dug deep through two consecutive games at Acrisure to get goals from seven different skaters. Game 2 was a bit of a back and forth affair, but feeding off that home crowd energy, as well as finally solving Matt Tomkins, gave the Firebirds the momentum necessary to get right back at it in Game 3 a mere 24 hours later and take it to the Condors; eliminating them and sending them off to Round 2!
- The Firebirds won Game 3 thanks to a timely power play giving them an early lead, and then promptly turning into a minefield defensively; each misstep the Condors took was both explosive and costly. Absolutely fantastic work on the forecheck by Coachella Valley in their first series win of the season.
- Nikke Kokko had a bounce back Game 3 to remember, as he turned in a .939 SV% game after two sub-.800 spectacles. Granted, the Firebirds were playing a helluva lot better, but it’s good to see him figure out how to play better down the stretch.
- Oscar Fisker Molgaard is having the time of his life right now; having three goals in two games on the back-half of this series. Keep at it, kid!
What’s next?
For the Firebirds, they enter a best of 5 series against the Ontario Reign; the regular season champs of the AHL Pacific.
Nobody said playoffs were ever easy.
That series begins on Wednesday evening down in Ontario, California!