The Desert Sun's Fire & Ice Podcast - Pre-Playoff Media Roundtable (April 7, 2026)

With the 'Birds staying hot and the season winding down amid a taut Pac Division seeding race, join in for a media mind-meld featuring the host visiting with: Shad Powers (Sports & Leisure Editor at The Desert Sun); Andrew John (Sports Reporter at The Desert Sun); and Tim O'Brien (Sports Director at NBC-Palm Springs/In-arena host and Rinkside Reporter at Acrisure Arena/Weekday morning host at 102.7 FM).  

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:07

Its origins hatched in Sunday Folk War. The mythical Firebird's journey westward has only enhanced its evermore. Finding sanctuary amid sands both timeless and perpetual, the allure of the bird's plumage radiant, eyes hypnotic, talents just, and song enchanting prove a presence magical for those who respect its powers, and a harbinger dog for those who seek to tame its flight. In Tales of Your Times by Gone, the Firebird protects its nest, the hue of its brilliant feathers, a guiding blow of belief, of renewal, of light, of home. A narrative rooted in myth. Such powers, such imaginations are today realized with a tale of light and freeze. For the Firebird and those who embrace the journey, it is a tale of seasons reborn. A fable actualized by the forge of steelblade and wooden implement, a legend which grows by Rory and Score. It is a story of fire and ice.

SPEAKER_03 1:24

Greetings, friends and firebirds fans, and welcome to the Desert Zones, Fire and Ice podcast, presented by Desert Hill Golf Resort. Coming to you from home Desert California, here Derek Laxall, Whiteboard Away from the Bird Home Ice of Aperture Arena. I'm your host of Fight, fourth season of Firebird Hockey. Fourth season of Fire of Ice, and now with a year six games ago. I can tell you that fourth season of Firebird Playoff Hockey. It is 2025. Much more on that later, and we'll get to a veritable all-star guest. Playoff prep media roundtable featured George Truly, Chad Powers, sports and leisure editor for the Desert Sun newspaper. Andrew Johnson, sports reporter for the Desert Sun Newspaper, and Tim O'Brien. I don't know, Timmy could spend the whole show talking about his titles. He's the sports director, NBC Palm Springs, the In Arena host at Acersure Arena. He's now got a daily radio show, mornings on 102.7 FM. What a factotum. Goodness, I can't even believe that he's he's got time. He's made time to join us for the Fire and Ice podcast. Friends, per that aforementioned Desert Sun, so proud to partner with an outlet that I had the pleasure of contributing to for well over a dozen years. I think I'm going to call it 14 years. Let's round up a little bit, even though it's not an even number. Uh, Desert Sun, of course, informing our valley since yonder 1927. Been doing it for a near century. If there's time, we'll ask Shad Powers about that centennial Desert Sun party. In the interim, I will direct you to DesertSun.com. We're along with Shad and Andrew, great cast of readers and photographers providing you news on the firebirds and beyond here in our wonderful valley. Again, get it all online, that coverage at desertsun.com, or heck, just go out and buy yourself a physical, tangible, handheld newspaper. People still do that, you know. Desert Willow Golf Resort, also right here in sunny palm desert, California. That's home to the Mountain View and Firecliffe courses, respectively, friends. Get those tea times online today at desertwillow.com. And hey, when you're on there poking around the website, be sure to check out the excellent and on-site Palm Desert Golf Academy for all your swing, lesson, knowledge, tutelage, needs. Just over at DW uh last week with friend of the show and Firebirds broadcaster Grant Fuhrer. Grant's so nice to invite me to join him for a round over at DW. Teeded up on the mountain view course. Man, is he a fine ball striker? He's a very modest guy, the hockey hall of famer, but he's a uh dude is a great ball striker. I chugged along, you know, kind of had my usual strong short game, good tea game. Kind of sprayed it around a little bit with the with those mid-irons, but nonetheless, great to be over at DW in fine shape here in early April, just past Passover and Easter. Course is looking great. Great time to play. Again, get those tea times online at desertwillow.com. All right, dudes, that is going to segue us into this episode's Firebirds Freeze Frame segment. And of course, we've got a couple of new sponsors this season for the Firebirds uh freeze frame segment, rather, because Ice action isn't limited to accuracy alone. Hockey fans seeking some free game drinks, post-game toast, you only need to look up to the high desert, where our Firebirds friends at both the 29th Palms Beer Company and the Ground Squirrel. That's G R N D S Q R L because it's fun to bucky the High Desert. That's how they do it up there. They're both serving up some awesome meats and incredible beers in downtown at 29 Palms. Ground Squirrel is for an awesome gaster pub style scratch made menu. They match that with a rotating list of craft beers. And for those seeking a poke uh power play, rather, good alliteration there. Uh, you skate it right out down the street, literally right down the street to the 29th Falms beer company. They're brewing up their own awesome phenomenal beers right outside, and wait for it, get this, because it's important. They're televising every Firebirds game, whether it be home or away. Hey, you're a local, taking a fun new scene, you're a desert guest, maybe you're coming out here for Coachella next up the weekend, or Stagecoach the weekend after that. You're visiting the Coachella Valley, you might be up there for a day or two for jockey, maybe you're playing cowboy up pioneer town, could be celebrating a bird's win, hopefully, or perhaps drowning your sorrows after a tough loss. You lace up the hospitality in 29 Falls for both Ground Squirrel and the 29th Falls of your company. Those are proving your high desert hockey home. Alright, let's get to the stats, let's get to the numbers, let's get to the analysis all of course before we have this episode's pre-playoff media round table. And what an interesting combination of things going on for the Firebirds right now as we wide down again. Just six games to go, that means we got 66 of the books. Very sporty record. I might add a 39, 22, five office season that currently places the Firebirds in third place in our Pacific, or should I editorialized, very competitive Pacific division. And those standings, by the way, may have just changed during the duration of that sentence, which I just booked. Because they're changing on a daily basis, I kid you not. Right about the time that this episode is being recorded on a Tuesday, we're just about to tip off for another aberrantly timed San Jose Barracuda game. I think it's like a one o'clocker on a Tuesday. I don't know what's going on with that team schedule. Anyway, if the uh Barracuda were to win that game this afternoon, then the standings would change again. Birds would drop from third place to fourth place. But I like his better in third. So I'm going to tell you right now, as I'm recording this, that the birds are in third place. Been playing a lot of super hockey. Winners of eight of ten are the Firebirds, along with 11 of the past 13. Very packed in, very tight, very taut Pacific division. Currently a mere five points to illustrate that fact. Just five points separate teams three through six in the division. Again, we're going to get to this more with the gentleman in the media roundtable to assess who might we play? Where might we play? It can change on again on a near-daily basis, or basically on a daily basis, this baby's going to come down to the final day. It looks like the final day of the regular season, it would very much seem a little dichotomy going on right now because, as mentioned, as illustrated by the Firebirds, as it's getting into April, into mid-April, been playing some great hockey at the most important time. So a lot of sanguinity there to be really peaking and appearing so poised as the playoffs near. But at the same time, we're something of a triage unit. Currently, on the week to week, you know, it's vague. Upper body, lower body, day to day, week to week. I can't specify these injuries for you, but on the week to week, Logan Morrison, Jagger Ferkis, Ian McKinnon. Who else we got here? Caden Price, Andre Loshko, and uh Lucas Dragasevich. They are all currently listed as week to week, while day-to-day, Ty Nelson. Uh he missed this uh past weekend series. Double dip win, by the way, for the birds at Abbotsford. Did it without Ty Nelson. So per the day-to-day, hopefully we have him back for this upcoming Wednesday nights game, which is a good segue to the schedule of these final six Wednesday, April 8th. Again, that is at home, AcroShore Arena, big game. Firebirds hosting the Henderson Silver Knights. That is a 6 30 puck drop, and we will decidedly see you there. Birds follow that up Friday night, this Friday, April 10th. Uh, quick road trip down the I-10 versus first place Ontario. Birds and Rain have their puck drop that night at 7 p.m. Then flip it right around. Come back uh east on the I-10 for Saturday, April 11th this Saturday, April 11th. Birds at home versus the Ontario rain. That is a 6 p.m. start and it is country night. I think everybody, or at least the first, whatever many people get like a straw hat or some kind of country hat. So if you're going to country night, I don't know if that means you don't want to wear a hat because the chances are you're gonna get a free one when you walk in. Anyway, that's the theme for that evening. Final three of the season. We'll find the Firebirds uh back in action on Tuesday the 14th. That is another, it's these are all gonna be important games. This is another big one, Tuesday the 14th, a not aberrantly timed puck drop at San Jose. That is a 7 p.m. start. Uh Saturday the 18th, remain on the road at San Diego. That could also have a lot of meaning for the seatings and standings. 6 p.m. start, and then the regular season finale will bring the birds back home to AcuroShare Arena. That is Sunday, April 19th, 3 p.m. start, fan appreciation day versus the defending champion, albeit last place, Abbotsford Canucks. For the players uh and our scoring leaders, not to mention our net minders, I mean a lot of the dudes I mentioned, I don't think we're gonna see him Wednesday night versus Henderson because they're week to week and they haven't been out for weeks yet. But the leader nonetheless, Logan Morrison. I feel like I jinxed Logan a little bit, by the way, because when he was on this program recently, and I and I was tentative, I was hesitant to mention this fact. I think there were respective knocks on tables on both of our sides. When I mentioned that he played every game last year, had yet to miss a game this year. Well, now he's got a lower body injury, so he is week to week. Nonetheless, remains our leading scorer with 57 points on the year. That is a team high, 27 goals paired with 30 assists, currently tied for 12th in the American League with that total. Right behind him, also week to week. The Red Rocket, Jagger Furkis, 55 points on the year, 21 goals has Jagger paired with 35 assists. Tyson Jugnoth, 43 points, 8 goals matched with a team high 35 assists. That is seventh among defensemen in the entire AHL. Leighton Road, talked a lot about Leighton, rather, maybe not enough, having himself an exemplary season. Starting to find the score sheet a little bit more, too. Between all the great little things that he's doing on the puck, on the boards, playing the body. 11 goals matched with 25 assists. Yanni Newman, in a mere 35 games, dude has 33 points. That's 21 goals for Yanni thus far, paired with 12 assists. As far as the aforementioned Netminders, both are heating up, also doing so at just the right time. Nike Coco, now 18, 10, and 2 on the year. He's won four of his past five starts. 3.10 goals against match with a save percentage of 0.903. Also red hot, the Swede, Victor Osman. Now 17, 12, and 3 on the year. He's won five straight starts as Victor. Goals against getting skinnier. 2.79 save percentage getting higher. 0.906 for Victor Osman with again six games to play in this regular season. All right, Firebase Friends. All that offered, all that prefaced, let's get to this episode's playoff prep media roundtable. Yours truly, Shad Powers, Andrew John, and our guy, Tim O'Brien. Alright, Spills fans. They're in that finish line. So it seemed like good timing to bring in Veritable Cavalcade of Stars. Media Roundtape episode. Pre-playoff. Say that a few times fast. But we bought in a collection of great minds. I gave you their titles at the outset of this episode. But we're gonna do it again briefly. She had powers. He's the sports and leisure editor over at the Desert Sun. We don't know if it's an ampersand between sports and leisure or not. Andrew John used to call him Andrew Eljo. Find his recording on the Firebirds, bouncing tennis balls, much, much more. Also over at The Desert Sun. And a gentleman with so many damn titles, it's starting to bother me. We're gonna run through him quickly. Sports director at NBC Palm Springs. He's the In Arena host and Rigside Reporter over at Aquisure Arena. There's some redundancy in that title, by the way. And you can hear him uh Monday through Friday. That's weekday, 7-9 a.m., over at 102.7 on the FM dial. The guy's doing everything but selling you a corn dog and some popcorn over at the Birds Barn. Tim O'Brien also joins the Desert Sounds Fire and Ice podcast. Alright, dudes. All that offered, all that preface. Let's get right to the juice of this media roundtable. And I want to start with a big broad brush. We're gonna get to the specificity here shortly. So try to don't don't don't bruise my follow-up question yet by going into a bunch of names and stats. I just want to ask, and I'm gonna get going with Shan Powers here because he's the oldest. Um I I I just want I want to gain with these six games remaining. Your level of confidence in version number four of the Coachella Valley Firebirds as we head toward our fourth consecutive playoff shift.

SPEAKER_05 15:07

I mean, it's hard not to be more confident than I was a month ago. Definitely I'm loving the way they're playing right now. I like that they're sort of winning in different ways. Whatever that night calls for, they really kind of got a mentality about them now that's like, you know, where I have confidence every night. Um so I'm gonna say my confidence level has risen to about uh 7.5 out of 10. Um, you know, I think I'm more confident heading into the playoffs this year than I was last year, we could say that for sure. Um, and then, you know, of course, the first two seasons were special. Like I don't think I'm quite ready to put this team in that category yet, but uh I'm definitely feeling good, and it's nice to see the team playing their best hockey at the end of the year, which is of course the most important time. So I'm I'm feeling pretty confident right now, to be honest.

SPEAKER_03 15:55

Shad gave us the numerical scale, and I think we will borrow that henceforth. Tim O'Brien to you, I guess we'll put it on a 0 to 10 or 1 to 10 scale. How are you balancing out this version of the Firebirds heading in or rather toward and then ultimately into the playoffs?

SPEAKER_02 16:13

Yeah, you know what? I'll I'll give it an eight. How about that? Just an even eight. Uh, I am confident. I think um just kind of being in the weeds of it a little bit. You see the camaraderie, I think that helps quite a bit. I think they've done a great job all year of just always being in it. I honestly, I think we there was that stretch where they didn't play well at home, but I think that game against Ontario was the first real like egg clunker that we saw overall. Like, you know, every game they've always had somewhat of a chance to get back to it in the third. Um, that one clearly was over with, but uh, I'm confident in this group for sure. Much more than I was last year, as as Chad mentioned.

SPEAKER_03 16:48

We got a 7.5. We've risen to an eight. Andrew John of the Desert Sun. Your uh numerical confidence with the Firebirds is the playoffs near. Andrew's also got the little red thing next to his name right now.

SPEAKER_01 17:04

Well, I think that uh that uh that loss to Ontario kind of messed with my mind a little because this team was playing so well and has since played so well, right? I mean they've won 11 of 13. So sorry, I know you said no stats on this, but the truth is they've been playing so well, but the last time I saw them, they lost 7-0. And so uh that messed with me a little because I think that this team, I'd probably lean more to the s to the eight to even eight point five rating. Um but yeah, I'll I'm looking forward to seeing how they finished this season because that was a game that didn't quite make a lot of sense considering how they've been playing. I think you look at the sample size and say, well, they've been playing so great, you know, you can probably toss that one loss out the window, but it it was uh it was a pr pretty bad loss. So I I I'm still riding pretty high on confidence that that they'll uh be very good in the playoffs. And I think uh 8.5 would probably be my my number there.

SPEAKER_03 18:13

Okay. It continues to rise. I'm gonna take it back down at least a half not. I mean, if we're getting up to 8.5 or 9, we're basically starting to say this is a team that could make a run toward the promised land. This is a team that could certainly make a run to the conference finals. I'm gonna go a little closer to that eight, saying that this is a team right now, wards and all, because there are a few, and we'll get into that. That's like, hey, we're going into a first-round playoff series with a lot of confidence that we should probably win at least one and be very competitive in number two. This is why I didn't want you to mention any specific names yet. We'll now turn to that dude as we go back to Shan Powers. Picture this team now. I guess in lieu of wars, we can basically substitute injuries because there are a lot of them. But let's work on the hopeful assumption that the Firebirds get like these six guys back that are currently missing. In addition to the fact we've learned how important this is, we're paying attention to the Kraken. This is not a Kraken show. We may not be Kraken fans, but the Kraken are toast. They've lost five straight games, including a huge one to Winnipeg last night, and basically had a chance to salvage or save their season. Kraken are gonna miss the playoffs for a third consecutive year. That means that the team we currently have, which is Andrew noted, winners of 11 of 13, is very likely to get back. Jacob Malonson, the gentleman we know as OFM, Oscar Fisker Mulgard, and Ryan Winterton. He returned to the ice last night in that loss. He is also eligible to come back for the American Hockey League playoffs. Chad powers again, back to you. Reinserting two, if not all three, of those guys into a currently very solid Firebirds team. What are your thoughts then? And perhaps what is your numerical value then?

SPEAKER_05 20:02

Uh 13. I'm I'm I mean, no. Um yeah, it is fun to think about that, right? I mean, you're right. These last uh they are a little bit injury riddled right now. We can get some of those guys back just on the surface. And then if we do add anybody from the NHL falling back, which it'd be I don't know why they wouldn't. Um I mean, that's exciting. You can just think about that as like one sweet line to just put onto, you know, put up in the mix and then move everybody down one. I mean, it then you're starting to get a pretty loaded lineup because I've been liking the way that what I've been liking about the team is their depth. It seems like every line has a confident score on it, a confident way about themselves. So like if you just add those, you know, three studs like you mentioned, or you get, you know, once you get maybe like a Ty Nelson back as well, something guys like that. I mean, all of a sudden you're looking deep. Of course, we know this is a young team, but you know, like they always say, this point in the season, you can kind of like move that discussion to the side. Everybody's, you know, a veteran of the AHL at this point, pretty much. Um, and if they're playing like it too, a little more confident. So I you're right. I uh if you if you think about it like that, and perhaps some of the teams we'll play in the playoffs won't be uh fortunate like that. Um you know, it is something to be even more excited about. I mean, there's just no getting around it. So I think um yes, that does. I'm not gonna change my number, but that does make me more confident in a high number like that.

SPEAKER_03 21:28

Tim O'Brien, your thoughts? If we get those three guys back, or perhaps two of them. I think look, we're definitely gonna get two of those guys back. We don't know about Winterton. He hasn't played with us the whole year, although again, he is eligible. If we get two of those guys back, we get healthy. Sky the limit for the birds come playoff time.

SPEAKER_02 21:46

Yeah, I think the eight, I was ahead of you there. The eight was based off of that. Uh those guys are coming back. So it makes you think though, when they do come back, who comes out? You're there's gonna be a casualty of somebody that has played consistently throughout the year. Year. The name that maybe comes in mind a Carson Raycoff play. He's played really well. But there's somebody's going to come out, right? Ian McKinnon won't play. I guess they'll probably get rid of the muscle for that fourth line with some of these. So yeah, there's a better for lacks to have to make that decision than us. That's for sure. Because someone's going to have to come out, but you also bring these guys down the ladder, you got to play them, obviously. So I'll stick with my eight based off of uh who's who's coming down the pipeline.

SPEAKER_03 22:26

Andrew, John, we turn it to you. I have to imagine that the addition of Messers or re-edition of Belanson and Fisker Mulgard. If not, Winterton as well, that's got to have you with high hopes heading into the postseason.

SPEAKER_01 22:39

Yeah, I think that uh as you know, as mentioned, just having that extra line of guys is going to be so so huge for a team that you know to be able to get contributions from all four lines in the playoffs when you know defenses are tightening up and just playing so much better, that's gonna be a huge boost. Uh I think, you know, frankly though, I I wish there was like a blue liner coming down, right? I think if they had because right now they're so young and they've had some injuries on the blue line, it's like if you had a real like star player coming down to really anchor that, and we've already already do have some really good blue liners down here, but they uh as we've seen in recent games, they have had to really dig deep into the into the the bench there.

SPEAKER_03 23:31

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:32

You know, putting it mildly, maybe. Yeah, I'm I'm trying to find the right word there. So the right way to phrase that. So uh, you know, be uh be fair to the guys that are coming in. But yeah, I think that that that does something to think about. But I think certainly to have guys coming down and contribute to to the offense is gonna be really important. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 23:55

Uh especially against a couple of his particular opponents, which we'll get to momentarily, where they score a lot for some of the best scoring, if not the highest scoring teams in the league. Per the injured Chad Powers, I mean, it is a laundry list right now, dude. Messrs Morrison, Ferkis, uh Dragasevic, uh the aforementioned Ian McKinnon, Loshko, Price, Ty Nelson, you mentioned. He's Ty Nelson, the only one on that list that's day-to-day with six games remaining, five of which against teams that are gonna be in the playoffs. I mean, do we absolutely thousand percent need at least a couple of these guys back, or do you think we can string it out as Andrew was intimating with a deeper bench, which is essentially intimating I think it's been up to five guys the night we got smoked, that Tim reference against Ontario. I think we had five, if not six guys that have played in the ECHL this season. That obviously is not a recipe for success. But if we get a couple of these guys back, do you feel that necessary?

SPEAKER_05 25:00

Is that a question for me? I'm sorry. That's for you, Shad Powers.

SPEAKER_03 25:03

Turn it back to you.

SPEAKER_05 25:03

Yeah, I'm sorry. Yeah, they yeah, uh that that night against Ontario. I thought I saw Tim O'Brien putting his skates on a little bit pretty close to being out of the blue line himself. Um but yeah, I think um, yes, obviously, I think in the that's a great point that Andrew made about the blue line. All the guys coming back you mentioned are not gonna help it there. So that is, it is it is a concern for sure, and uh it leads me to believe that to win playoff series is we're gonna have to do it maybe by outscoring teams, which I think we'll have the capability of doing, but that's a scary way to enter the playoffs where we all know games are lower scoring traditionally, um, defense is more important, defense wins championships, all that stuff. You know, it is a little bit of a concern. Um, yeah, if those if some of those guys don't come back and we are running the the MASH unit defensive line, that that's you know, that's gonna be a problem. There's no doubt. So I'm hopeful that some of the mainstays will be back, but you know, yeah, it it that's definitely the area of concern, I think we can all agree.

SPEAKER_03 26:06

Tim O'Brien, you're around the uh the arena more than any of us, I say, of this uh this kind of triage unit that we are unfortunately sporting right now in the beginning, if not middle of April. Are you sensing returns for any of these guys? And if you don't have any insider intel, who do you think we need back from this list?

SPEAKER_02 26:26

Yeah, so I always when I'm when I'm down there doing the three stars, I'm always the team comes down from the suite before that. So they're all in the locker room high five, and when the team comes off the ice, the guys in the suits. And I'm always looking to see if I see hard cast, crutches. I'm always looking to see so I there's a few players, and I won't say names, I don't want to lose that privilege, but I I I've seen a soft cast, and I've learned obviously a soft cast better than a hard cast, right? That's obvious. Um, but what I don't like is week to week never means less than two weeks. And the week the playoffs start two weeks from when we're recording this today. So I don't know, do the math on that. I think if you look at uh Morrison and Furkas have been your top scorers all year, those probably you have to start there with those two, right? You can they're getting by with the defense that they're using. Uh Ty Nelson day-to-day, that's good news. I'm not, you know, I I would love to, you're right, John or Andrew, to have a uh a big blue liner come down for some help. But I think Olafson and out of mine and of course Ty Nelson and Tyson Jugnoff has played really well. Um, but the the loser, Morrison and Furkus, you need those guys to get healthy quick, even if you were to get Oscar and a uh um Ryan Winterton or Melanson, you need those two guys back in the lineup.

SPEAKER_03 27:36

Folks, you're listening to the Desert Suns Fire and Ice Podcast, presented by Desert Willow Golf Resort. Pre-playoff media roundtable, Shad Powers, Andrew John, and Tim O'Brien are my guests. A little bit of a twist, kind of an esoteric one, but I wanted to get it in here, gents. This question or the answers therein will probably be for everyone that listens to this show, but it seems germane to me. This season in the desert is certainly a lot different from what we had in the early spring last year, or in basically one instance for the last half century. Last year, if you recall, we of course had the IndyCar uh race uh over at Thermal. That would have been two uh, I want to say two weeks from where we are right now, two weeks ago. And then this past week, uh, we would have had the uh event, whether it be the LPGA or the Champions Tour, uh 54 consecutive years over at Mission Hills and Rancho Mirage. Of course, that's all done. I asked this in the vein of uh attendance, and if some of these omissions from our desert sports schedule, if in your learned minds, may have turned some added attention to what the Firebirds are doing. Attendance is fine, about 6,800 in change on the average, but still top 10 in the American League. Obviously, what we want to see and what we hope to see support in attendance-wise come to playoffs could be two different things. Andrew, John, I'll go back to you. And if you want to discuss the absence of these other sporting events, or rather what you want to see or hope to see for the Firebirds playoffs, I'll take whatever you got.

SPEAKER_01 29:19

You know, I think that uh this is something Chad and I were discussing recently where the uh yeah, you have to believe that you know, once the Firebirds get in the playoffs, based on what we've seen in previous years, that we'll have some really good crowds. Uh and again, you know, I think that the crowds have been have been fine. And that just creates such an electric atmosphere for this team to to play in uh and and for fans to come out to. So I think that's something I'm really looking forward to because I I would fully expect that again this year, uh, like we've seen in years past.

SPEAKER_03 29:57

Yeah, it's it's been pretty good. We've had some instances where, especially, you know, the first round of the playoffs might be okay, but man, there have been a few nights this year, per Andrew's point, that when we get up to 8,500 in that building, it's a different feel, it's a different atmosphere. I think that the media, the fans, the players, the coaches, everybody can sense those sparks of electricity when we get up to that number. And this team has been getting after it this year. I feel like they're they're they're worthy, they're they're due that respect of nearly filling that building right away for the first round. Your thoughts on this same subject, Shad Powers.

SPEAKER_05 30:36

Yeah, that's a good point. We we know from history that that very first home playoff game is always the least attended. That's one reason it's one of the it's an anomaly. I know they're trying to figure out, you know, it's it's a tricky spot because you don't maybe you don't have all the uh season ticket holders, and then also the game just came into existence like three days beforehand, so people haven't been able to plan to go. Um, but as we've won and gone deep into the playoffs, yeah, that I think the uh combination of that, you know, obviously deeper in the playoffs, more exciting games. We're gonna have some nice, nice crowds that we can make them run. And I think that's um to your kind of original point about like losing a few of our pro sport events. Um, I think you're I think that maybe that does sort of like in a subconscious way help help. Like there's, you know, there are some avid sports fans here, and we know what it's like to be a sports fan in your hometown. You want to go see what's going on, whatever it is. Maybe you're not a huge golf fan, but you might go to the golf tournament. Don't love tennis, but you go to the tennis tournament. You know, same thing I think it may be happening for hockey. We've got now a month, months of uh empty space here on our Pro Sports Calendar. So why not you, the avid sports fan that lives in the desert, get on board with a hockey team? No reason not to. Um, this is the exciting time of year, so you know, maybe there will be some uh a boost in that way.

SPEAKER_02 31:53

Tim O'Brien, turn it to you, sir. Yeah, I'll put my arena host uh hat on. When the crowd is dead, I'm dead. It's it's so brutal to try and scream and then you hear very little reaction back. So I'm excited though. I think yeah, we we saw that first game year one against Tucson. I was like, uh oh, this isn't supposed to be okay. But it it it turned uh rather quickly. And I think yeah, it's the only sport maybe ticket in town. This there's no reason to come on out, it's a night out. And uh if things were to end today, they'd have a home uh playoff series. But yeah, pack the place. I think it's a good point. Some of the other events aren't here this year, so uh no reason we know the tickets and parking will be a little cheaper than in years past, too. So hopefully that helps. And uh let's pack the place. Let's uh give the credit, uh give it to them. They deserve it.

SPEAKER_03 32:39

Let's turn it back, gents, as we wind down a few more questions for our media round table. We have learned, I think, cumulatively, the importance of not just watching what is happening at this point of the season with the Kraken, and again, not rooting against the Kraken to fail. It's kind of a double-edged sword, but we do reap the benefits if they don't make the playoffs. Per the teams that we are surrounded by this ever-changing, ever-fickle Pacific division. This is a nice recipe for the Firebirds as it stands right now. I just kind of want to go from number one to number seven and where their NHL affiliates are right now. The Kings, they had a big win last night, inverse to the Kraken's performance. Kings won in a shootout. That currently got them the last wild card spot as it stands now. Um the uh Colorado, Colorado, they're both Colorado. The Avalanche are obviously into the playoffs and probably will be making a lengthy run, one would assume. San Jose, San Jose, uh the Barracuda and uh the Sharks. The Sharks are just two points back of that last playoff spot. So if it's not the Kings that get in, then it perhaps it could be the Sharks. Uh Henderson's uh Parent Club, Las Uh Vegas, they are currently in the playoffs. Bakersfield's Parent Club, uh Edmonton, they are in the playoffs, and San Diego's Parent Club uh Anaheim currently also in the playoffs. So a lot of the teams that are surrounding us are not likely as it stands now. There's some close things in that league as well, of course. Things have to play out over this next week and change. But there's a lot of teams that likely aren't going to be getting dudes back. And we saw it last year. We saw with Abbotsford. What happens when you get four, five, six guys back? You got a completely different team, a team built to make a run. That prefaced. We've got some other supporting statistics to back this up, but I want to hear opinion-wise first, whatever you guys want to throw out. Andrew John, back to you. Which team do you want to face in the first round? As Tim mentioned at the playoffs started today, it would be the Birds hosting a best of three against Bakersfield. But which team do you want to face and which team don't you want to face in this first round of the playoffs? Well, I think that's so you're talking like beyond this first round, since we already kind of know well, in the first round, because I mean positions three through six in the Pacific, yeah, they're separated by five points. I think right as we're talking, as I've mentioned before on this uh this episode, San Jose in their weird schedule, they're playing right now in the afternoon on Tuesday, so they could jump over the firebirds, we could be back and forth. So we don't know, we might not know until the last day. So whether it be San Jose, Bakersfield, uh Henderson, uh those are uh I guess the likely culprits, but who would you like to see us play and who don't you want to see us play?

SPEAKER_01 35:36

Well, I I think I would like to see the firebirds start with Henderson just because I mean, gosh, it's so tough because every team is is a dangerous team, you know, you really don't want to see. I think the team, um, I think the I I take them over Bakersfield because Bakersfield has actually had the Firebirds number a little bit this year. And I think there's some confidence that they would have coming in to that series. You know, that team I definitely don't want to see is San Jose, because that's a team that um while the Firebirds have won some recent games against, that's a team that is really dangerous offensively. And with the way the the the Firebirds are a little uh on the uh you know on the mend uh with their blue line, I I just worry about facing a team that is that that good offensively. You know, you could also say that for I think it's for me, it goes without saying you don't want to see Ontario or Colorado. Um because those two teams are also very, very uh difficult and very good offensively. So I'll I'll go with Henderson, would be the team I think I would I would hope to see. It will be interesting because no matter who they play is gonna be a tough uh opponent. So definitely a lot of intriguing matchups there.

SPEAKER_03 37:00

Yeah, absolutely. Uh before I go to Shad Powers, quick interjection to clarify this with our Firebirds friend um Evan Pivnik today, that any of these likely first round matchups, save for San Jose, the best of three would be a one-one-one format, which is to say the host would get uh games one and three at home, whereas they would travel for game two. If it were San Jose and we were to host that, that doesn't, I don't know if that's a likely scenario, but it still could happen. Then all the the entirety of the best of three, uh, again, if we were hosting, would be here, or if they were hosting, would be there. Shad powers turn it to you. Who do you want to play? Who don't you want to play in this first round?

SPEAKER_05 37:42

I'm gonna take it a different direction. What I want is to be in be third. I'll I'll I'll play any team if we can choose to be third as opposed to fourth. Um, of course we want to be third or fourth to get that home field, but I I don't I don't like the um or I think you can throw a net over these four teams, us Bakersfield, San Jose, and Henderson. So um, you know, if you look if you crunch the numbers, yes, we're two and six against Bakersfield this year. Uh however, six of those games were before were back in 2025. So, you know, the the only two games they played recently have been a one-and-one split. So I'm not too worried about that bad record against Bakersfield. Um, San Jose, we have a good record against, as Andrew mentioned, five and two with one game left. Um, and Henderson has been a real uh you know, seesaw. There it's pretty much, I think, three and four with with one game left. But um I like the idea of, you know, I don't I'm not trying to like get us into a certain matchup, like I said. I I think it's the value comes in staying in third place if they can't um to get that you know outside chance at a second home series if uh if there's an upset uh uh you know among the uh in the 7-2 matchup. But I like um I just like the um notion of of you know being at home. Like you said, if it's against San Jose, that'd be interesting in to have the whole all three games at home. But I like um I don't feel like there's a matchup that favors us or you know uh has us in a big hole. So it's kind of a I mean I mean sort of like skirting the actual question, I suppose. But I like um if you're if you I think I might go with Bakersfield. I know it's a weird thing to say, um, but the thinking is my thinking is yeah, they're they won't be, you know, uh their eyes will be open to Bakersfield because they've had they have had their number this year, and yet that was against a very different Firebirds team, I would say. So I think maybe if they did play Bakersfield, they would um you know come with a little extra, extra, extra. So I'll kind of go against the statistical logic and say Bakersfield.

SPEAKER_03 39:48

Tim O'Brien turned the same question, or I guess two-part question to you, sir.

SPEAKER_02 39:53

Yeah, I'd I'll start with uh I wouldn't want to see Bakersfield. Only based off of the feeling I remember having every time they came here. It's like, man, they just have their number. Like they're big, they're physical, they're just an ugly team. Like, I don't know. I just didn't feel comfortable that whole time, and you could feel a weird vibe in the building. And uh, but fair point. Look, all those games were before the new year, so so much has changed. Um, I remember I remember having a conversation with you, Judd, about uh I think the Firebirds opened the eyes of San Jose a little bit. Like, I don't know that San Jose wants the Firebirds in their matchup. So I kind of like that that feeling we had, and I'll just for to play along, say bring on the Barracuda. I feel confident against uh against them. And selfishly, I'll I'll say I don't want to play Vegas only because of those silver helmets, they're so ugly. But yeah, you're right. Look, it's it's not gonna be easy, and and one and two are only separated by a point, I believe. Yeah, on Imperial Colorado Center. And they who the heck knows what's gonna happen. Buffle up, man. I don't know. We don't know where we're going, where we're gonna be, if we stay, who it is, so it's gonna be fun.

SPEAKER_03 40:58

No, and we've never quite had a scenario like this heading into the final handful or so of games. Uh, we basically had a a a far better sense of where we were gonna be, where we were gonna finish, which team we were gonna face, but not this year. It has changed on a near daily basis. Uh personally, that that Henderson team does scare me a little bit, uh, even though we're we're we're three and four, and as Shad mentioned, we got the one more against him. Uh that's occurring at Aperture Arena this Wednesday night. Big game. But man, that team scores a lot of goals. They also give up a lot of goals. I believe that they are currently the league leader in goals. I don't know if that's the recipe plus some of their heft to some of their size. I don't know if that's the best matchup. What is a good matchup is somehow, as Shad said, if we get third, as Tim said, if the Barracuda can slide uh and we get to and we get to uh they get to sixth, and then the sharks get that last playoff spot. I think that's like the if all those things could happen, I'm gonna say that a thousand percent positive that the firebirds are are moving on to round two. And that's my final question. Basically, yes or no answer for you. Uh, are we gonna see the Firebirds with a fourth season of advance in the playoffs? Yes or no, Andrew John. Yes, Chad Powers, turn it to you. A fourth year of playoff advance.

SPEAKER_02 42:19

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 42:20

Finally, Tim O'Brien, yes or no? What do you say, man? Are we moving on past the first round?

SPEAKER_02 42:26

Yes, we are, or they are, but yes, still a yes.

SPEAKER_03 42:30

I'm gonna add a fourth yes to that. I mean, hell, yeah, we've won 11 of 13 games, as Andrew pointed out. Confidence is high. Hopefully, the guys get healthy for this final stretch run. Obviously, we're gonna need a few of these fellas back, especially the scores that Tim referenced, and then eventually get back a couple guys that have been playing very, very well at the NHL level. Obviously, it'd be guy great to have Malanson and uh Oscar, and if not more, back at Firebirds uniforms. Jets hope to see all of you collectively at the barn tomorrow night, which should be a good one against the weird helmeted silver knights. Until then, appreciate your time. Thanks for joining the program. Talk to you. We'll see you soon, boys.

SPEAKER_05 43:12

Thanks, Joe.

SPEAKER_03 43:24

Alright, Firebird Spock. It's gonna wrap it up for another episode of the Desert Suns Fire and Ice Podcast, presented by Desert Willow Golf Resort. So appreciative of your time, your interest, your ongoing support of this endeavor, and year number four, as year number four winds down, at least the regular season of Coachello Valley Firebird talking. Equal appreciation goes to this episode's guests, veritable cast of all stars on Roundtable episode, Shad Powers, Nanda John from The Desert Sun, and Tim O'Brien. I'm gonna lose breath if I mention all of Timmy's jobs again. So we'll just say Tim O'Brien, thank you as well for joining. Extended gratitude goes to those who make this show go. The Desert Sun newspaper. You can find it online. All the Firebirds coverage at News of the Valley Beyond at DesertSun.com. Or again, heck, just go get yourself a physical newspaper. People still do that. Desert Willow Golf Resort. Get your tea times online for either or both. I'm going to recommend the latter. Go play both courses. Play 36. Play them out. Play the fire clip. Get them online at desertwillow.com. When you're on there poking around with that little mouse, click to the on-site and awesome. Palm Desert Golf Academy for all your swing instruction lesson tutelage needs. Find it all online at desertwillow.com. Your high desert hockey homes yonder 29 Palms, both the 29 Palms Beer Company and the Ground Squirrel for locals, for desert guests. Go check out both places. And don't forget that as we're getting down to these final six games, all of them are important. You can watch them all televised at the 29 Palms Beer Company up there in 29 Palm CA. Thanks again, everybody, for tuning in. We'll look forward to what should be an undoubtedly exciting final six games before the Birds make their fourth playoff appearance in as many seasons of CV Firebird talk. Are we getting spoiled by seeing playoff hockey every year? Yeah, maybe a little bit, but so so be it. Let them have cake. Let them be hawsers, as my dad might say. Let's enjoy it. Another season of postseason action soon coming our way. We'll find out against whom and which and when after this regular season winds down in the very near future. Until then, we look forward to seeing you for a big one this Wednesday night. Birds hosting the Henderson Silver Knights and their weird silver shiny Tron helmets. That is a 6.30 p.m. pup drop. Thanks again, everybody, for tuning in, and as always, be welcome.