The Coachella Valley Firebirds secured a 3-2 overtime victory against the San Diego Gulls on Friday night at Acrisure Arena. Ben Meyers scored the game-winning goal just 53 seconds into overtime, while goaltender Nikke Kokko made a career-high 41 saves, improving his season record to 5-3-0.
San Diego took an early lead in the first period with two powerplay goals from Yegor Sidorov and Sasha Pastujov. The Firebirds were outshot 11-5 during that period.
In the second period, Kokko stopped all 19 shots he faced, keeping the Firebirds within reach. J.R. Avon scored for Coachella Valley late in the frame, assisted by Logan Morrison and Zach Uens.
Early in the third period, after a boarding penalty by Pastujov, Logan Morrison tied the game for Coachella Valley by scoring off a rebound from Carson Rehkopf’s shot. Ben Meyers was credited with the secondary assist on Morrison’s ninth goal of the season.
For the second consecutive matchup between these teams, overtime was needed to decide a winner. Tyson Jugnauth led an offensive rush before passing to Meyers, who scored past Ville Husso to secure an extra point for Coachella Valley.
The Firebirds finished 1-for-3 on powerplay opportunities and killed two out of three penalties. They were outshot overall but relied on Kokko’s performance to keep them in contention throughout the game.
Following this win, Coachella Valley holds an 8-5-2-0 record this season. The team will conclude its homestand against the Calgary Wranglers on Sunday, November 23rd at Acrisure Arena.
“Ben Meyers’ overtime winner sealed the victory for Coachella Valley just 53 seconds into the extra session and also had the primary assist on the Logan Morrison game-tying goal. Meyers now has 5 points (3 goals, 2 assists) in 5 games with the Firebirds this season.”
Fans are encouraged to purchase parking in advance through ParkWhiz as rates increase on game day. The organization is also promoting ticket packages for various fan needs and has released additional premium seating options at Acrisure Arena after three years of limited availability. Enhancements for fans this season include new food options, earlier weekday start times, and pregame Happy Hour events.
More information about tickets and gameday features can be found at CVFirebirds.com or by following @Firebirds on social media.
