Kansas City Mavericks Target Kelly Cup Title as FIFA World Cup Madness Arrives in Southern California

PALM DESERT, California — While the primary hockey season may be winding down locally in the Coachella Valley, the action remains red-hot for the Seattle Kraken organization's developmental pipeline. The Kansas City Mavericks of the ECHL are currently sitting just two wins away from capturing the Kelly Cup, the league's ultimate championship prize. The team's historic postseason run has been heavily fueled by several standout players with deep roots in the desert, including goaltender Jack LaFontaine and forward Jakov Novak.

Novak, who spent the vast majority of the regular season skating for the Coachella Valley Firebirds, was officially reassigned to the Mavericks following the Firebirds' second-round playoff series victory over the Ontario Reign. He made an immediate impact upon his return to Missouri, netting a dramatic double-overtime game-winning goal last week that officially punched Kansas City's ticket to the ECHL finals. Reflecting on the high-stakes moment, Novak noted the incredible wave of emotions following a difficult late-game defensive lapse, praising his squad's underlying resilience to put the setback behind them, treat the extra frame as a fresh game, and find the back of the net.

The Mavericks have posted a dominant 14-2 record throughout the postseason, largely riding the hot hand of LaFontaine between the pipes. After dividing his time this season between the Firebirds and the Mavericks, LaFontaine has compiled a stellar 7-1 playoff record, which included a dominant 15-shot shutout victory against the Florida Everblades in Game 1 of the finals. The Mavericks currently hold a 2-0 series lead as the championship battle shifts to Florida this week.

Shifting from the ice to the pitch, soccer is poised to take over the international sports landscape this week as the highly anticipated 2026 FIFA World Cup officially gets underway. For the first time in history, the tournament has expanded to feature 48 competing nations, drawing massive interest across the Coachella Valley given the deep cultural ties local residents share with prominent competing teams like the United States, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia.

In celebration of the global tournament, the NBC Palm Springs sports team is inviting local viewers to participate in a special World Cup bracket challenge. Fans can submit their tournament predictions directly to the station by emailing news@nbcpalmsprings.com, with a special prize pack slated to be awarded to the viewer with the most accurate bracket at the conclusion of the month-long tournament. Additionally, NBC Palm Springs sports director Tim O'Brien will provide on-the-ground reporting later this week, delivering live coverage on Thursday and Friday directly from the official World Cup Fan Fest in Inglewood, California, as Southern California prepares to host its first matches of the tournament.

Explore NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the valley.