The Coachella Valley Firebirds celebrate one of their eight goals against the San Jose Barracuda at Tech CU Arena on Friday DEC 9, 2022. (San Jose Barracuda)

by Marko Ukalovic

SAN JOSE–The new team in the desert is not your typical expansion team.

The Coachella Valley Firebirds exploded for a five-goal outburst in the first period en route to a dominating 8-3 victory over the San Jose Barracuda on Friday evening at Tech CU Arena.

San Jose had its two-game winning sneak snapped. Coachella Valley has won five games in a row.

It was a night to forget for ‘Cuda starting goalie Aaron Dell, who gave up five goals on 17 shots in the opening 20 minutes as the Firebirds peppered him with shots early and often.

Max McCormick got the party started early for Coachella Valley (12-4-2-0) when he scored his seventh goal of the season, set up by Peetro Seppala, at the 1:46 mark.

Brogan Rafferty scored just his second goal of the season under three minutes later at the 4:20 mark. Jesper Froden and former ‘Cuda center Alexander True recorded assists on Rafferty’s goal.

San Jose (12-10-0-1) cut the Firebirds lead in half when Jeffery Viel scored his fourth goal of the season at the 6:04 mark. Luke Johnson and Scott Reedy helped set up Viel’s goal.

Coachella Valley score the final three goals of the period, with two coming on the power play. Kole Lind scored an even strength goal, his eighth of the season at the 7:45 mark. Then John Hayden scored his seventh goal of the season with his team on the man advantage 45 seconds later.

Lind scored his second goal of the period, Coachella Valley’s second straight power play goal at the 13:45 mark.

Dell was replaced by rookie goalie Strauss Mann to start the second period but Coachella Valley didn’t make life any easier for Mann.

Lind picked up where he left off in the first period as he began the second period as he scored a natural hat trick on the Firebirds third consecutive power play goal at the 1:53 mark.

William Eklund gave the Barracuda some life he scored an even strength goal at the 13:39 mark of the middle frame. Andrew Agozzino and Montana Onyebuchi recorded assists on Eklund’s seventh goal of the season.

Onyebuchi cut the Firebirds lead in half when he one-timed a centering pass from behind the net by Danil Gushchin for his third goal of the season at the 8:15 mark of the third period.

The Firebirds made the ‘Cuda pay for a fourth time when they went to the sin bin. McCormick scored his second goal of the game and eighth of the season at the 13:37 mark.

Andrew Porturalksi finished off the scoring with 1:29 remaining in the game when he scored his sixth goal of the season.

Firebirds goalie Joey Daccord had a slow night with 13 saves on just 16 shots to earn his fourth straight victory to give him a 7-2-1 record. Mann made 17 saves 20 shots in 40 minutes of mop up duty.

San Jose finished 0-for-2 on the power play. Coachella Valley went 4-for-6.

The Three Stars of the Gamer were: 1) Lind 2) McCormick 3) Hayden.

UP NEXT: San Jose concludes its six-game home stand on Sunday 12/11 when they host the Bakersfield Condors at 5:00pm at Tech CU Arena.