Colorado Eagles Onto Division Finals Against Coachella Valley Firebirds

With their 6-2 win on Saturday Evening, the Colorado Eagles have defeated the Henderson Silver Knights three games to one to advance to the Pacific Division Finals against the Coachella Valley Firebirds.

The series started tight as Game 1 finished with a 1-0 win for the Eagles that saw Alex Barre-Boulet open the scoring in the first period and Trent Miner holding down the lead for a shutout. Game 2 saw the Silver Knights tie the series up 1-1 with a double-overtime winner.

Though Game 3 and 4 would be major blowouts with the Eagles winning Game 3 4-0 and closing the series with a 6-2 win. With the series, this is the third time in five years that the Eagles have reached the Pacific Division finals. The Eagles were here last season but lost in five games to the Abbotsford Canucks.

The Firebirds are coming off a 3-2 series win against the Ontario Reign that saw them take the series win in a 3-2 win in double overtime in Game 5. 

Leading the way in scoring is Oscar Fisker Molgaard, a second-round pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, who has six goals and four assists for 10 points in eight games played. Right behind him is Jani Nyman, also a second-round draft pick, this time in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft. He has three goals and five assists for eight points.

Goaltender Nikke Kokko, drafted in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft in the second round has played all eight games for the Firebirds. He has a 0.893 save percentage with a 2.74 goals-against average.

The Eagles saw the Firebirds eight times during the regular season and finished with a record of 4-4. It was also a tight scoring contest across the eight games, as the Eagles outscored the Firebirds 24-23 in the right games combined, with the Firebirds also shutting out the Eagles once in those matchups.

The third round is once again a best-of-five series, and the winner will advance to play the winner of the Grand Rapids Griffins-Chicago Wolves series in the Western Conference Finals.