SPRONG’S TWO GOALS LEAD FIREBIRDS TO VICTORY

“It’s been a tough couple of days and I think my mindset here is want to help the young guys you know. It’s a young team you know. I’ve been a young guy before, and you know try to lead by example, and try to help in little things for myself. I think just want to prove that I don’t belong here,” Sprong shared.

“I think over my last two years in the NHL kind of speaks for itself, but these are the cards I’m dealt right now. So, I think for me personally… just prove I belong here. So for the time I have here, just help the young guys work hard and fix my game a little bit.”

Daniel Sprong Records Three Points in Firebirds 5-2 Win Over the Chicago Wolves.

“I would say as far as the game I think in the first period I was a little too many steps ahead and expecting plays to be a little quicker so I had to slow it down and sort of mentally get on that speed, and after that I was fine,” he said. “But like I said it is what it is and I don’t want to be a distraction, but at the end of the day I want to make it clear that I’m an NHL player. You know that’s kind of my mindset, right? You know it is a difficult situation certainly.”

Goaltender Ales Stezka earned his seventh win of the season and made 28 saves on 30 Chicago shots.

PALM DESERT, CA (January 11, 2025) — The Coachella Valley Firebirds, the American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Seattle Kraken, defeated the Chicago Wolves on Saturday night at Acrisure Arena by the final score 5-2. Newcomer Daniel Sprong netted two goals and added an assist in the Firebirds first-ever meeting against the Central Division’s Chicago Wolves. A crowd of 8,712 was on hand for Coachella Valley’s third annual Pride Night.

QUICK NOTES

• Chicago opened the scoring just 4:39 into the game on a goal from Bradly Nadeau.
• The Firebirds found the equalizer 3:30 into the second period as Ben Meyers found Daniel Sprong on an odd-man rush. Sprong was assigned to Coachella Valley after being put on waivers this week by the Seattle Kraken.
• The Wolves found a quick answer as Jordan Martel beat Ales Stezka 1:50 later to make it 2-1 Chicago.
• Lleyton Roed drove to the net and tied the game for his ninth of the season at 15:50 of the middle period. Sprong and Logan Morrison earned the assists.
• The Firebirds outshot the Wolves 22-7 in the second period, the most shots on goal in a single period by Coachella Valley in team history (previous was 21 – done twice).
• Coachella Valley wasted no time in the third period, taking their first lead of the game. On another odd-man rush, this time started by Roed, resulting in Sprong beating Chicago goaltender Spencer Martin for his second of the game. The goal came 36 seconds into the third.
• Jani Nyman added to the Firebirds’ lead with a powerplay goal at 4:36. The goal extended Coachella Valley’s powerplay goal streak to seven straight games, tying the second longest streak in team history (most is 8 – 3/19/2023).
• Brandon Biro moved the Firebirds ahead by three with a breakaway goal for his fourth of the season with 4:40 left in the third period.
• Coachella Valley moves to 18-12-1-4 on the year and now have points in six of their last seven games and wins in four of their last five.
• The Firebirds’ finished the game 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and 1-for-2 on the powerplay.
• Goaltender Ales Stezka earned his seventh win of the season and made 28 saves on 30 shots.
• Coachella Valley outshot Chicago 47-30.

Read the game’s full box score HERE.

The Firebirds continue their homestand tomorrow, Sunday, January 12^th as they rematch the Chicago Wolves. Puck drop is set for 3pm PT. Visit CVFirebirds.com to get your tickets now!