Fire & Ice Podcast
A Coachella Valley Firebirds podcast.
Fire & Ice Podcast
Fire & Ice Podcast - A Visit with Joey Daccord (April, 2023) Playoffs Edition
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The Firebirds advanced to Round 2 of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Get in the crease for some postseason audio action with CV standout netminder, Joey Daccord.
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Greetings, friends and firebirds fans, and welcome to the April edition. Wait, allow me to editorialize the special April playoff edition of the Fire and Ice Podcast, the official podcast of Telegraph Firebirds of the American Hockey Committee on the Desert California, your Pike RTA Rift Shot Away from the Firebirds Almighty Aperture Arena. I'm your host, Doug Fighter, along with this endeavor. Also the privilege and pleasure of serving for this inaugural season as Firebird Insider. Includes a couple articles a month that you can find online at Cvfirebirds.com. Speaking of CDFirebirds.com, that is your own home light, your own web base for all types of Hotel Valley Firebirds, including certainly not limited to tickets, merchandise, team, staff, roster information. Much, much more can be found online at CDFirebirds.com. And I also mentioned TV Firebirds app or your cell phone. Yeah, I'm a technical look ahead, but even I could figure out how to get that on my phone. Really good place to get tickets for Firebirds playoff games. And everything happens at AcroShirt Arena. Joining me on this journey if you're not alone with a special April playoff edition for Fire and Ice. Going between the pipes for this playoff episode, gentlemen whose name readily chanted now throughout Accoushi Arena for the Firebirds playoff games, and really throughout the regular season, a big part of the team's ample success in this debut year. Go tunder Joey DeCord, my guest on this episode of Fire and Ice. Before we get to that chat with Joey, however, some nuts and bolts. Feel like I'm really bearing the headline as we delve collectively further into this season, which is to say we're still here. We're still going. Let's hit reset a little bit, if we may, friends, before we get to some scheduling and some stats. Firebirds, of course, made their way through round one of their inaugural appearance in the Calder Cup playoffs, felling the Tucson Roadrunners, the seventh-seeded Tucson Roadrunners, in three games. Don't necessarily say that the Birds felled the Roadrunners with ease. Proved a plucky and tough opponent, taking them to a third and deciding game, which the Firebirds did, however, win with some ease. A 5-1 victory to advance to the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs. That'd be the Pacific Division semifinals, where the Birds will face a very good team, the third-seeded Colorado Eagles. More on the Eagles in a little bit. Before looking forward, however, let's just look back a wee bit at that first round. Again, it did go to three games. The aforementioned Joey DeCord started all three games, availed himself well as he has throughout the entire season. Two-on-one record, 2.03 goals against made 98 saves in those three games against the Roadrunners. As far as your scorers in that series, Cole Lind, he was the leading goal scorer for the Firebirds this year, netting 30 goals across the regular season. Well, he scored three more times in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs. Coupled that with three assists. My Minnesota math tells me that is six total points in the first round for Cole Lind. That ties all American Hockey League playoff scores. Right behind him, the team captain pairing two goals with two assists. Max McCormick, four points in that first round versus Tucson. Alexander True also four points, a goal and three assists. Young standout, Riker Evans also contributing four points all by way of assist. Three points for winger Cameron Hughes, and two points apiece in that opening round for Jeremy Kenna, Billy Pettman, Jimmy Schultz, Carlson Twarinsky, and the aforementioned rookie of the year, the American Hockey League Rookie of the Year, Ty Cartier scoring two goals in that opening series. Probably also worthy of mention is that Shane Wright in his return to the Firebirds narried a goal in his three-game regular season spring return to CV, and then no goals in the first two games of the Tucson series. Pivotal. Third game goal against the Roadrunners for Shane Wright. Shane, of course, the fourth overall pick in the 2022 entry draft. Also worthy of note on that goal, the fine assist from his fellow 19-year-old that recently signed David Goyet. David, by the way, did not appear in the first two playoff games for the Firebirds, but he looked really good, oftentimes pairing on the line with Shane Wright in that game three win over Tucson. Skating on, skating forward, just a little bit here, friends, because I don't want to give everything away for the new CB Firebirds versus Colorado Eagles playoff preview, which you can now find online coming by way of yours truly at cvfibirds.com. But let's just touch upon it a little bit prior to the visit with Joey DeCort in this Firebirds freeze frame segment. It's going to be interesting. It's going to be tight. We're going deeper and deeper into the ether, deeper and deeper into the unknown in this inaugural season. This debut run in the Calder Cup playoffs. Second round, Pacific Division semifinal. It's a best of five series against the aforementioned Colorado Eagles. Good team. Solid team. They don't score a lot, nor do they relinquish a lot of goals. Interesting, if not maybe weird, slightly funky, how the second round of the playoffs lay out for your Coachella Valley Firebirds get underway on the road, despite the birds being the higher seed than the Eagles. That's just kind of the way the AHL can work sometimes. As we're understanding more and more, as we're learning more and more, arena availability considered, some travel cost considered. Yeah, that's just the way it's going to play. So, second round of the Culter Cup playoffs begins on Wednesday, April 26th. That takes place at Colorado's Budweiser Event Center in Loveland, Colorado, 6.05 p.m. Pacific. And then it's a back-to-back turnaround. Get back at it right away. Thursday, April 27th at Colorado. Puck Drops also at 6.05 p.m. Pacific. The best of five series then returns to the desert on Sunday, April 30th. It's a 3 p.m. start time at Acrocher Arena. Following that game, if necessary, again, it's a best of five series. Game four slated for Wednesday, May 3rd at 7 p.m. And also, if necessary, a deciding game five to be held at Acrochure Arena on Friday, May 5th. Puck dropping at 7 p.m. If we need to get that far. Little added intrigue for you. This happens sometimes, but not too terribly often. Currently in the National Hockey League, the parent clubs of both of these respective teams, that being the uh Seattle Kraken and Colorado Avalanche, they are also facing off in the opening round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. As of this recording, that series currently tied at two games apiece. So that means for Wednesday, April 26th, the Kraken and the Avalanche will be playing about 50 miles away from game one of the Firebirds versus Colorado Eagles second round series. Just kind of an interesting side note. Also worthy of note, and you can get much, much more stats, analysis, breakdown, prediction on this series, again, online at cbfirebirds.com in my new playoff preview. But it is worthy of mention here in that of the four games that the Firebirds and the Eagles played this year, yeah, they were tight. They were close, folks. Three of them went to overtime. The home team took two games apiece, and the scoring differential across those four games was a mere 10-9 edge for your CV Firebirds. Again, much, much more on that series online at CV Firebirds.com. All that offered, all that preface, friends, let's get to this episode's visit of Firebirds Netminder Joe DeCor. All right, folks. As prefaced on this April edition, should I say special playoff April edition of the Fire and Ice Podcast, the official podcast of your Coachello Valley Firebirds. We're going between the fights for this episode. My guest hails from uh Boston were growing up. I trust that uh he was readily spoiled by sporting teams and championships of all successful manner. Uh this year for the Firebirds, a record of 26, 8, 3, and 3 in net. That was the third most wins in the American Hockey League. His goals against 2.38, good for fifth in the AHL, all of which, in my humble opinion, should have marked him an AHL All-Star. Perhaps we'll get into that uh momentarily. If you don't know who I'm talking about yet, all you have to do is go to an upcoming Firebirds playoff game where the uh the Firebirds faithful uh have now started chanting his name basically throughout the entirety of the Firebirds game. All that prefaced, welcome goalie Joey DeCord to the Fire and Ice podcast. Hello, Joey.
SPEAKER_01Hey, how are you? Thanks for having me.
SPEAKER_02Thank you for joining the day after the game three win over the Tucson Roadrunners. Um, is this a day for you to look back on the series and what was accomplished, or is it already a day to look forward to round two and what lies ahead of Colorado?
SPEAKER_01Uh I'd say it's probably a little bit of both. Uh first and foremost, I think it was a rest and recovery day. Um, you know, three games in five days, and it's in such a short series, they're all very intense. So um just uh yeah, just today to rest up and regroup and um do a little bit of reflection, see where we we we did well, see where we need to improve, and um at the same time uh look forward to our next series.
SPEAKER_02What does that reflection involve for you personally?
SPEAKER_01Um well my my for myself personally, I'll I'll just go over kind of all three games and um you know how I played and what I feel that I I could have done better and um kind of analyze if there are any tendencies or any um you know repeating kind of plays that that happened that uh you know I can improve on. And um, you know, then and also like how I manage the puck when I I have it on my stick to making my making my plays and um just seeing where I could have done better there. And um then at the same time, like I said, just uh kind of starting the pre-scout on on Colorado.
SPEAKER_02Head coach Ted Bilesma said in the post-game presser that he told you guys that he felt that game three against Tucson was your best game of the season. I trust that there was some context involved in that comment. Even if there wasn't, would you agree with that assessment?
SPEAKER_01Uh I mean, it's hard to say say anything otherwise. I mean, in the in the most important game of the season, we came out and um, you know, we proved we were the best teams, one of the best teams in the league all season. Um, it was really cool to see us all come together in such a big important game and um play really well together. So, I mean, if it wasn't our best game, it was second or third, you know. So um it was it was right up there for sure.
SPEAKER_02It dawned on me, having had the pleasure of going to a lot of games this season, haven't covered uh the Firebirds all season, haven't interviewed you several times post-game and a lot of your uh Firebirds teammates and the coaching staff. That when I got there on Sunday afternoon, I was kind of like it hit me a little bit, like, whoa, this could be over, like a sense of fear and finality. Having enjoyed the year, having enjoyed the debut, the experience, Aquicire Arena, having enjoyed you guys playing so so well uh throughout the year, and especially at home, it just it just kind of hit me, man. Like, wow, this could all be over in in two hours. Was that a sense or a fear that uh that ever hit you or your teammates, you think?
SPEAKER_01Uh I I mean, you try not to think about it and you try to just focus on playing your best, but I think anytime it's it's potentially the last game of the season, it's definitely in the back of your mind. And um, I think that motivates you to want to play your best. And um, for myself personally, it motivated me to want to do whatever I could to help the team win. Um, you know, as the goalie, the whole team is counting on you really to play well and play at your best. And um, I think the added pressure kind of helps everyone raise their game and and try to play to the best of their ability. And um I really I really think uh it was it was impressive to see the uh the game we played on Sunday.
SPEAKER_02Uh that was a 5-1 win, if I didn't uh mention that. She'll also mention in that three-game series versus Tucson, Joey DeCor, 2-1 with the 2.03 goals against average 98 saves across those three games. Joey is, and maybe this is just me. I I guess I'll use the word fear again, but is is that a motivating factor in in not wanting a season to end when you get into deep into a playoff series or you get to an elimination game? I guess you know, the way that Tucson came out in game two, they came out with a uh what looked to me like not just a desperation, but again, a fear that their season was gonna end and they played like it. Um, I don't know your thoughts on that further.
SPEAKER_01Well, that's yeah, that's just what I was gonna say is is if you want any proof that that plays into it, just look at how they came out on Friday night. They came out and and you know, I mean, we played a really good game on Wednesday, um, you know, in the in the first game of the series to win 5-1. And um, we kind of punched them in the mouth right off the bat with 3-0 lead after the first period. And um, you know, next game, their seasons on the line. And and the hardest thing to do in all sports is end a team season. And um, you know, you definitely saw that from them. They they pushed back, they pushed back really hard, and uh they played a good game on Friday. And um it took a little while to find our legs. I think in the second and third period on Friday, we started to find our legs and play better, but at that point it was just a little bit um too little too late. And I think, you know, once that kind of hit us uh ourselves on Sunday, that's that's you know, that's where you get the true test, right? You get two teams with their backs up against the wall in a do-or-die situation, and um obviously really happy that we came out on top.
SPEAKER_02In this playoff series and uh looking ahead to the second round series as head coach Dan Bilesma, has he spun any yarns for you guys from his Stanley Cup championship experience or his NHL Stanley Cup playoff experience? Has he told any stories to you guys, to the team that have been uh effective in any way you feel?
SPEAKER_01Um, I don't necessarily know if he's told any specific stories, but I think um I think we're all really big fans of of coach. And um I'm a big fan of his and I have a ton of respect for him and um you know his abilities as a coach and um who he is as a person. And um he's been a great mentor for me these past two years, like I had him last year in Charlotte. And um, we've had lots of great conversations, and I think I just I really respect his opinion and obviously his um his accomplishments and his achievements and his success. And I think um, you know, those accomplishments lead us to really trust him and put our all our faith in him and believe that you know, whoever and he sends out and uh and whatever game plan he wants to execute, we we believe that it's the best for our team. And um, I think you know, his success really helps us all believe that what he says is is going to be the best for our team, and that that really has helped us have a lot of success.
SPEAKER_02Before looking ahead to Colorado, allow me to hearken back yet again, if just maybe one more time to the uh the post-round presser game three, because it was a good vibe, it was a lively one. You had a lot of interesting things to say. Coach had some uh really good things to say. Your teammate Cole Lynn also had some interesting things to share with the media. One of the things that you said, and I know that we all kind of got a chuckle out of this, and we're talking about it after, is a really good Michael Jordan uh last dance reference that uh you said uh one of your teammates shared with you and your fellow players before game three. Can you share that with the fire and ice listeners?
SPEAKER_01Uh yeah, sure. It was uh Andrew Potterowski. He's uh he's obviously been injured for a while, but um, you know, it's uh he he really still wants it for us. And um we're hoping we can get him back eventually at some point. But um I think he's hoping we can we can play long enough for him to make it back in time. And um, you know, he obviously won the the whole AHL championship last year, so he has some experience here. And he just sent us a little clip of uh Michael Jordan from the last dance documentary and him sitting in his locker and he had a baseball bat in his hand. And um, I don't remember exactly what he was saying, but he was just talking about how uh, you know, I think they just lost the game, and someone was asking why he wasn't all upset. And he's like, that's no big deal, just one game. Like we're fine, we got this, like, no need to worry, like we got it, type thing. And um yeah, it was uh I think that just kind of fired the boys up a little bit.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it obviously made uh an impression on you for having uh stuck with you for a couple days and mentioned it to us yesterday. Yeah, yeah, really cool. Yeah, um, great documentary as well, of course. Um, one of the other things, and this is just um, I guess my my my powers of observation uh from uh from yesterday, couldn't help but notice that uh wearing the whoop band, um I I wear one uh I wear one myself only because it was given to me gratis for uh an article I did outside of covering uh the Firebirds. I think I'm probably cheap enough that when the complimentary membership expires, I'll probably get rid of the whoop band. But I have been wearing it uh since they gave it to me, like three months ago. Just curious, is that something that you wear during games?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I've had I've had mine for uh I've used it for two full seasons now. And uh honestly, I don't I think it would be weird if I took it off at this point. Uh I I just I I think it's really beneficial for myself. I think it's just very easy analytics to look at. Um, you know, obviously there's it's not always gonna be 100% accurate, and you know, some days it might tell you that you feel you you should feel better than you do, or you you should feel worse than you do. Um but for myself, I just think it's really easy feedback and really easy analytics. I think it helps hold me accountable with sleep. Um ever since I started wearing it, my my time in bed has increased drastically. Um, just because I think it does a good job of explaining to you and really showing you each and every day like how much sleep you do truly need. Um and then just in terms of recovery, I think it helps me manage like during the season, it helps me manage, okay, like let's say I had a really great recovery score and we've only had one or two games this week. Okay, like maybe I can stay out an extra 30 minutes after practice and work on a few more things, or maybe we've had a couple games in a short period of time. And it's like, hey, maybe today's a day where you take it a little bit easier in the gym or um a few less reps in practice or a little bit less time on the ice after practice, that type of thing. Um, and then in the summer, just managing my my days, what days are really the days to push hard, and then what days are days to um take a step back and and uh you know focus more on recovery. So for myself, I like I said, I just think it's really easy analytics and easy data and easy feedback for me to look at and um have constantly.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, one of the things that I've used it for, and I'll digress, is uh it was given to me for a golf-related assignment, and I have used it to assess uh my breathing and my heart rate. Uh I've done like stop and start from hole to hole and see how my heart rate deviates, whether it be on the T-Box or when I'm putting. Uh, that's kind of how it was the tool was explained to me, how it might be useful for golf. Are you ever checking that for your heart rate, how it might fluctuate throughout uh throughout a game?
SPEAKER_01Uh yeah, I I I wear it in games. Um and after the games, definitely. Um I'll I'll monitor all the activity scores and see you know how much strain I had. Typically on a game day, um, I'll have over a 20 strain. So the max is twenty one. So most games are between twenty point two and twenty point six. Strain which is incredibly high. Um, which just goes to show how you know how how challenging it is to be a goalie from an energy and um you know uh aerobic standpoint. Um I don't think people realize how challenging it is, and that's why we can't play every game, you know, like the like the players do. Um so yeah, I I definitely check all that stuff. Um, and that's a big part of why I wear it is to monitor that as well.
SPEAKER_02My screen, uh I just checked it while you were giving that answer. 7.9, by the way, for today. So apparently taking it pretty pretty easy. Friends, you're tuning in.
SPEAKER_01I went on a walk today and that's it. And uh I just went for a little swim in the pool earlier, and I'm at a 9.4.
SPEAKER_02So oh, okay. Well then I don't feel as slovenly uh after that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, not terrible. But here, I'll pull up uh yesterday's game for you. Okay. Yesterday's game. So yesterday we played uh at 3 p.m. So there was no morning skate. So I was only at a 19.5 strain, and I only burned 4,704 calories yesterday.
SPEAKER_02Only?
SPEAKER_01But then I'll take you I'll take you to Friday. Friday's game. Actually, let's do let's do Wednesday because I was busy. Yeah, so Wednesday's game was a 20.5 strain, and I burned six thousand one hundred and seventy calories. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Dude.
unknownYeah.
SPEAKER_02I do I do look at that metric uh for the for the I look I look at it for days that uh that I exercise um or that I do a couple activities. Maybe I exercise and then get out on the golf course, and it's like 2,500 is kind of the the top.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, yeah, it's a lot.
SPEAKER_02Might need to work on my double pad slide to get up into the uh 6,000.
SPEAKER_01Gotta eat a lot of food to keep up with it.
SPEAKER_02Friends, you're tuning in to the Fire and Ice podcast, the official podcast of your CV Firebirds. This is the April special playoff edition. For all the information on your firebirds, whether it be tickets, merchandise, roster, you can check it all out at cvfirebirds.com. Of course, visiting in this episode with goaltender Joey DeCor. Joey, quick turnaround in uh the AHL playoffs for round two. And to me, it's uh I I could use the word funky for how this second round is laying out schedule-wise. Uh, please feel free to use a different word. Playoffs get underway in round two for the Firebirds, uh, Wednesday night at Colorado, and then uh back to back uh Thursday night following both uh our 6.05 Pacific time. You guys are the higher seed, but the way that this lays out because of cost, arena arena availability, and so on and so forth. That's how it goes in the AHL. You go away first, then come back to Acucher Arena for games three and then four and five if necessary. That would be Wednesday, um pardon me, Sunday, April 30th, followed by uh Wednesday, May 3rd, and then Friday, May 5th would be a game five again, if necessary. Kind of weird how that schedule lays out.
SPEAKER_01Um yeah, I mean, I wouldn't necessarily say it's weird. I think it's just the AHL is a little bit um at a disadvantage compared to the NHL, where the NHL is the private planes and they can pretty much play whenever. Um, and they always get the day of rest in between. Um it's a little bit different for us. And and if the NHL was playing a five-game series, I'm sure they would do 2-2-1 or some format like that where they'd play two at home and then two away, and then the last game at home. Um but the AHL is kind of in a more um you know, cost-related position. We flag commercial, and that's why I think I think we get to pick technically if we would rather play the first two games at home or the last three games at home. So it's kind of pick your poison with that. Um it's not ideal, but it is what it is, and we just gotta make the most of it and try to play our best and hopefully come home with two wins. And um, that would be a that would be a perfect situation. And um, you know, then we'll go from there.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that would be really nice to come back to Accursure Arena uh on Sunday with a 2-0 lead. Uh, certainly expect the games in the series uh to probably be uh pretty close, though. I mean, based on evidence of the regular season, only played to the Colorado Eagles four times. They're a solid team, number three seed of the Pacific Division. Firebirds, of course, the number two seed out of those four games, three playoff games and a mere scoring differential of one. Ten for the Firebirds, nine goals for Colorado, Joey. Colorado doesn't uh score a lot, nor do they relinquish a lot of goals. What's your assessment of their club?
SPEAKER_01Well, yeah, I mean, I think you're bang on, right? I think we we played two games on the road there this year, and both games we lost both games in overtime. And then uh I think at home we won maybe 4-2 and 3-2, something like that. Um, so every game's been a really close game, and I expect the same for this series. I think uh I think I mean they have a lot of good players. They've got guys that have a lot of NHL experience, um, and they have a lot of talent. We have a lot of talent, so I'm excited. I think it's gonna be a good series. I I think we're up for the challenge.
SPEAKER_02What is it maybe in particular about the style of play, the scheme between the two teams? Again, uh hearkening to uh Dan Bilesman's comments yesterday, he said that the two teams are in uh kind of a mirror image in the same style of uh of how you guys skate and how you guys play. What what is it about um I don't know, the two clubs, and again, if it's scheme, if it's style of play, they kind of make you similar.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I I I think Dan probably knows better than anybody because he knows how we want to play and and um you know him obviously along with the rest of the coaching staff, really uh they they scout the other teams and see how they're playing. And um they they definitely do play similar style to us. They have a lot of the same tendencies and a lot of the same um you know strategies and tactics. So I think uh, you know, like I said, both teams have good players, both teams have uh you know good structure and good coaching. And um I think you know it's gonna be about who can who can hold their nerve and um who can you know raise their level in the big moments. And um I I think it's gonna be a really tight series.
SPEAKER_02The Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado. It's about 50 miles uh outside of Denver. Uh described by coach, described by your teammate Cole Lind as a tough place to play. Pretty intimate environment. They draw about 5,000. It's a point of compare and contrast. Accursure arena has averaged over 7,500 fans. Uh, but nonetheless, with the 5,000, apparently uh they make some noise in there. Why why do you think that uh those guys describe it as a tough place to play?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, it's it is a very tough place to play. It's super loud. Like they the the ceiling's really low, and it's a small building, but it's it's packed. They they s they sell out most of their games, um, and they all have cowbells, so it's really, really, really loud. They're annoying in the whole game.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. That's like the hockey I grew up in. Yeah. The moms bring the cowbells.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, everyone has cowbells, and it's it is very, very, very loud. So um, you know, it's gonna be a tough challenge for us. I think uh I think that's what you want, right? Like when you you're a hockey player, those are the environments that you want to go into and play in because those are the most fun. So um I think we're all just excited for the opportunity.
SPEAKER_02The cowbell to me, Joey, kind of annoying. I always thought so growing up playing hockey in Minnesota, and actually on game three, uh, I did see a dude at Accursure Arena with a cowbell, and I kind of put my hands uh uh put my face in my hands a little bit because I don't really want us to be like a cowbell culture. I don't know. I just don't like that for hockey. I mean, do we do we want that? I would agree with that. We don't need that, right? Yeah, no, we're good. Let's yeah, let's just let's just leave the uh the cowbells at home. Um let me ask you before uh we let you rest up and get ready to head to uh to Colorado for the uh Pacific Division semifinals, what in your mind would be the Firebirds coming out and playing Firebirds hockey in this series? What would be coming out in game one that you want to see that would be indicative of the high level of hockey that you guys played all year? Really kind of set your mark uh on this series in game one on Wednesday night?
SPEAKER_01Um, I for us, I think it's just about sticking to the same formula that's worked for us. Um, I think we've had a lot of success all year playing our game. And um I think you know, when we didn't play our best on Friday, was we we kind of played a little bit to Tucson's game. And I think if we can stick to what we want to do and and uh try to play to our strengths, I think that's where we'll have a lot of success. And um, you know, sometimes in a series, it may not all it's not always about winning every game, right? You just gotta win more than the other team does. And I think for us, if we can just play well and get our teeth into the series and you know, obviously ideally get a win, but um, you know, it it's it's gonna be a long series, and I think uh, you know, if we can get our teeth into it and start grinding them down, it's it's a war of attrition, you know, for for five games. And um, I think going into the first round, we we planned on it going three games and we knew that that was a possibility. And I think for this series, uh we we plan on the same. You know, um we're preparing for full five games and knowing that it's gonna be a war. Um I think you know, for game one, our goal should be to try to get our teeth in the series, play our game, and um impose our will on them, and and hopefully we come out of it with a with a game one win.
SPEAKER_02I would certainly share that sentiment. All the best to you in the travel to Loveland Colorado for round two versus the Colorado Eagles. More enthused, of course, to see you guys get back here to the Desert Sands and Aquashure Arena for game three, and maybe that's it. Maybe it'll just be three and out and just close it out on that date. We'll see, man. Joey DeGord, an excellent season. So enjoyed watching you play. Let's keep this run going as long as possible, man. Thank you for your time.
SPEAKER_01Sounds good. Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_02All right. So readily enjoyed that visit. Firebirds goaltender Joey DeCord. Really enjoyed visiting with Joey all year long. He's appeared a lot at a lot of those Firebirds post-game press conferences, as much, if not more, than any other player. He has been readily accommodating and entertaining, I might add, for the media to chat with all season long. Enjoyable while he's here too destined, I would surely imagine, for the National Hockey League. Probably, if not likely, as early as next season. So appreciative of your time, your interest, your ears, tuning in to the Fire Nights podcast, the official podcast of your Coachella Valley Firebirds. One more schedule reminder, because I hope to see you out there at Backfaster Arena for round two of the Pacific Division semifinal. Round two of Call of the Cup playoffs with the Firebirds facing the Colorado Eagles again as a gentle reminder. Series begins on the road Wednesday, April 26th, before back-to-back on Thursday, the 27th. Both game times start at 6.05 p.m. Pacific. You can watch those on AHL TV, or you can tune in to hear the delta tones of Mr. Evan Pivnik calling the game at 106.9 Eagle. You'll listen to that on the radio station locally, or you can just stream that play-by-play call while the Firebirds are on the road. Team comes back for game three of the series Sunday, April 30th with a 3 p.m. fuck drop. Get those tickets online. Support the Firebirds in the playoffs at cvfirebirds.com or download the cellular phone application. Pretty easy to do. Great way to get those tickets for all things Firebirds and Aquature Arena. Friends, new team check, new arena check. Second best record in the American Hockey League. Yes, that was accomplished. Made the playoffs accomplished, playoff win accomplished, first round playoff series conquered. Let's keep it going. As long as the team keeps going, this endeavor will follow in time. Hope to see you over at the Bird Barn for this playoff series. Until then, and always remember, one valley, one team, rising together.
