Coachella Valley Firebirds win game 1 of AHL pacific final

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Finnegan Frost
May 16, 2024 (11:36)

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Photo credit: SportsLogos.net

Great news for the Seattle Kraken as their AHL affiliate, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, drew first blood in a tight Pacific Division Finals series against the Ontario Reign, the farm team of the Los Angeles Kings.

In a nail-biting thriller, the Firebirds clawed out a hard-fought 3-2 victory in Game 1 despite being outshot 15-29. Despite falling behind early and mustering only 15 shots on goal, the resilient Firebirds battled back to claim the series opener.

Head coach Dan Bylsma acknowledged the gritty nature of the contest, stating, "You've got to anticipate this being a long, drawn-out battle. It played out the way we thought it would. There wasn't a lot of offense." Bylsma also praised his team's defensive commitment, a trait not typically associated with the high-scoring Firebirds. "Maybe we're not known for being a good defensive team. We're known for skill and scoring and speed. But we've taken a lot of pride in our defensive game this year."

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The Firebirds will look to build on their Game 1 success when they host the Reign for Game 2 on Friday night, aiming to tighten their grip on the best-of-seven series before it shifts to Ontario.

source: thehockeynews.com

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