Coachella Valley plays another hard-forechecking game with plenty of shots on goal while Nikke Kokko stars again but loses goalie duel. Abbotsford shutout ends an Firebirds season to appreciate
Soon after time ran out in Friday’s second-round Game 4 between Coachella Valley and Abbotsford, the Firebirds gathered at AHL rookie goalie Nikke Kokko’s net crease to gently knock helmets in appreciation, plus pats on his back and shoulders. Veteran John Hayden took an extra moment with the 21-year-old Finn, one of his huge gloves cradling the top of Kokko’s head.
That the season ended here in B.C. just six games into the postseason, it was clear to the entire roster that Kokko had kept his teammates in the hunt. Nothing but love and appreciation for a goaltender who seized the No. 1 starting job after CVF goalie coach Colin Zulianello and head coach Derek Laxdal didn’t overload the then 20-year-old goaltender with too many starts or so much AHL-push-and-pull netfront scuffles. Kokko’s teammates knew it was no fault of the outgoing goalie.
In fact, as this squad skated off the ice amid more few one-on-one hugs between Coachella Valley teammates, many veterans embracing a young prospect, they had to know there was no faulting anyone wearing the Firebirds emblem. The forechecking by CVF was again relentless and disruptive. Coachella Valley peppered Abbotsford’s Arturs Silov net with 29 shots, including a near-tieing goal on a tremendous individual effort by AHL rookie David Goyette with four minutes left in regulation.
But Silovs was named First Star of the Game for good reason, stopping all sorts of scoring attempts that had to be causing Firebirds fans and even Derek Laxdal more than a few times to be questioning “how did that not go in.” For his part, Kokko was named No. 3 star, and only because the home decision-makers want to get the Abbotsford goal scorer in there. A late empty net ended what was a tense but thrilling hockey game with so many good sticks and never-give-up moves from Coachella Valley. The culture of this group is sound and a testament to the coaching staff and players – think back to veterans hugging young guys who might get the NHL call-up before them.
There is a lot to like about the growth of Kraken prospects in the southern California deserts: Kokoo allowed just three goals or less in pretty much every start since mid-March to rally his team to first-round home-ice advantage and a two-game sweep of division rival Calgary. Ty Nelson matriculated to the top-four defensemen minutes, getting regular shifts on the penalty kill earlier season and power play by midseason; he looked fast and smart, and poised in Friday’s third period. Jacob Melanson played another unafraid game and was another Seattle prospect barreling with puck on stick, playmaking in mind, forecheck-till-you-drop energy in the final minutes. Jagger Firkus was protecting the puck from defenders in the offensive zone all series, then made memorable passes that just missed scoring opportunities, but are duly noted for his gift of finding time and space.
There’s more, such as Jani Nyman scrapping and bodying for puck possession in the corners with the clock running down. There’s lots to look forward to with the Kraken prospects who grew as players and men this season, getting invaluable professional playoff experience too. They played well, forechecked hard against a strong team reinforced for the postseason by Vancouver players done with the NHL season while Firebirds captain Max McCormick played just 19 games all year and veteran Mitchell Stephens, who was sort of de facto captain in the regular season stretch run for home ice, on the injured list for this Abbotsford series after his starring role against Calgary. And let’s not forget Coachella Valley started the season with the third youngest roster in the AHL, with the guys in uniform maybe at their youngest Friday night. But no excuses, just kudos and meaningful hugs all around.

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