Sports
Coachella Valley Firebirds Fall to Ontario Reign in Overtime, Earn Point
The Coachella Valley Firebirds fell 3-2 in overtime to the Ontario Reign on Sunday at Acrisure Arena, but the team extended its season-opening streak of earning points to four games.
The Firebirds took an early 2-0 lead, but Ontario rallied to tie the game and force overtime. The loss followed a 6-2 Firebirds victory over the Reign in Ontario the previous Saturday, giving the teams consecutive games that went beyond regulation at Acrisure Arena.
Leighton Roan and Eduard Šalé scored for Coachella Valley, while goaltender Victor Ostman made nearly 40 saves to help the Firebirds secure a point in the standings.
The Firebirds had leaned on their power play during the first three games of the season, but the unit went 0-for-4 against Ontario. Coachella Valley struggled to find its rhythm at even strength as the Reign gained momentum through the game.
Head coach Derek Laxdal said he was pleased the team earned a point but was dissatisfied with the overall performance.
“We’ll take the point and run from that game,” Laxdal said. “We’ll look at the film, but I think from start to finish, I don’t think it was a great effort.”
Laxdal also pointed to the importance of playing consistently and sticking to the team's system, warning that allowing opponents to build momentum can make it difficult to regain control.
The coach's comments came after the Firebirds were outshot 21-3 in the third period of Friday night's game, another performance he said underscored the need for improvement.
Despite Sunday's overtime loss, Coachella Valley has collected points in each of its first four games of the season.
The Firebirds will head to Henderson on Wednesday before traveling north of the border for a weekend series in Abbotsford. The team is scheduled to return home afterward.
Explore: NBCPalmSprings.com, where we are connecting the Valley.
By: NBC Palm Springs
October 11, 2026
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