Fire & Ice Podcast
A Coachella Valley Firebirds podcast.
Fire & Ice Podcast
The Desert Sun's Fire & Ice Podcast - A Visit with Oscar Fisker Mølgaard -- Playoffs Edition (April 28, 2026)
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Onward! For the fourth consecutive season in their brief and oft-brilliant history, the Firebirds play on to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. A major cog in the engine: This episode's guest, CV forward Oscar Fisker Mølgaard (copy/paste -- nice!). Lace-up this Round 2 preview for 'Birds vs. Ontario Reign, and ready the holsters for a "Desert Shootout" segment with The Desert Sun's Andrew John.
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Greetings, friends and firebirds fans, and welcome to the Desert Suns Fire and Ice Podcast, presented by Desert Willow Ball Food Sort. Coming to you from home Desert California, I'm here Jacob Melons and Scar away from the birds. Homeites of Aperture Arena, I'm your host, Judge Spicer, fourth season of Firebirds Hockey. Fourth season of Fire and Ice. Fourth season. I'm probably very believed. With the playoff advance. That's how we do it. Firebirds don't stop playing hockey in April. Never have. I want to say never will, but today, never have. Fourth year in the second round of the playoffs. Yeah, things got a little funky at the outset of the first round series versus those bestie. Bakersfield Condors took it to us in game one this Thursday passed on their home ice. And then the birds, of course, storming back over the course of this Saturday and Sunday, respectively, to grab that first round series more, much more on what was and what will be momentarily. We'll do so with Firebirds, I think we can say Rising Star, Rising Stud Forward. Call them OFM in the business. Oscar Fisker Molgart could be joining me momentarily. And FYI, P S, whatever acronym you want to use. It sounds a little different like doing this interview. Generally do it a little pullback of the curtain remotely. That's how we typically do it on Fire Nights. But I'll be doing this one in person post-practice. Time is tight. Turnarounds are quick in these calls or cut playoffs. So I'll enjoy it first. I'm sitting down a little face-to-face with the Oscar. I just want to give you a little sound quality. We've been recording differently. It sounds different. That's why. We're on Oscar shortly in the interim. Let's take a look at those who make this show go. The Desert Sun newspaper has been informing our Fair Valley 1927 to celebrate that centennial next year, if my Minnesota map is correct. You can get all of it online at DesertSun.com, and by all of it I mean local news, sports, festivals, and of course Firebirds coverage at DesertSun.com. Or just get yourself a physical newspaper. People still do that. Whether you're doing the Sudoku, you like the funnies, you want to handhold tangible local news and information, go buy a Desert Sun newspaper. For the Desert Sun's personnel, reporter Andrew John is going to be joining me as an epilogue guest here to close out this playoff special edition episode of the Fire and Ice podcast. For the special, it's a special desert shootout segment. We thought that was shed powers in the most recent edition at a different time of the season. Elicit some different questions. We'll have those shortly for Andrew. Desert Willow Golf Resort friends, also right here in sunny desert, uh sunny palm desert, California, rather. Uh home to the Mountain View and Firecliffe courses, respectively. What an awesome time these shoulder seasons to be going uh teeing it up over at DW. We could be 106 degrees at this point as we trend toward May, but no, we're not. We're in idea like 86 conditions are at the peak and prime condition over at both of those golf courses. Get those tea times online today at desertwillow.com. And when you're over there poking around on that website, be sure to check out the awesome and excellent and on-site Palm Desert Golf Academy. I've been over there myself many times. Get them fine-tuned by Paul Busy and Co. That's got all your swing knowledge, technique, and tutelage needs. Alright, let's skate right on into it for these episodes of Firebirds Freeze Frame segment. Take a little bit closer look at that Bakersfield series and what will be in round two as the birds ready for a best of five versus our I-10 rivals, the Ontario Rain. Of course, this Firebirds Freeze Frame segment, friends, is brought to you by a couple of great new additions to the Fire and Ice podcast in season four. Because Ice Action is not limited to accuracy alone. Hockey fans seeking some pregame uh drinks, post-game toasts. You know, uh need to only look up to the high desert for our Firebirds friends at both the 29 Palms Beer Company and the Ground Squirrel. It's G R N D SQRL. They're serving up some awesome meats and incredible beers in downtown 29 Palms. Fine time, by the way. It uh certainly heats up a little bit. Always always a bit cooler in the high desert, cooler in 29 Palms. The Ground Squirrel supports an awesome gasp style scratch made menu. Might suggest those pepperberry dry rope wings to get started. And really, you're gonna be amazed. You're gonna be blown away by the scene of what you're serving up. Over at the Ground Squirrel, they match that menu with the rotating list of excellent craft beers. Those take in a potent power play, hey, skate it right on down the street to the 29 Palms Beer Company. They're brewing up their own phenomenal beers right on site, and if this is very important, they're televising every Firebirds game, home or away. Perfect way to kick up Firebirds playoff hockey or at the 29 Palms Beer Company. So look, you're a player local, you're a desert local, seeking a fun new scene, you're a desert guest visiting as we trend toward the shoulder season. You're up there exploring Joshua Tree, kicking around Pioneer Town, maybe you're celebrating a bird's playoff win. Perhaps, like last Thursday night, drought of your starrows after a tough plot. You laced up the hospitality in 29 Pulves for the Ground Squirrel and the 29th Palm Speer Company. Those are proving your high desert hockey homes. Alright, dudes, things looked a little funky to get this playoff season underway. We talked about it last time. Shad powers talked about it, I think, over the last couple episodes of Fire and Ice. A little bit worried about those Bakersfield condors. Good team, fast team. They got some vets, they got some scores. Didn't want to start that series on the road, but we ultimately did. And it didn't go particularly well. Things looking a little forlorn after that one six loss last Thursday night. But hot damn did the boys battle back over the course of this Saturday and Sunday, respectively. 5-4 win on Saturday, got a little uh bit nervy toward the end, and then a really impressive 6-2 win to close out that series on Sunday late afternoon. And hot damn, that second period in that in uh that Sunday game. That might have been the best period that the Firebirds have played all season long. Things just all clicked, things just all came together, the ice really tilted, just some electric play from the boys. And dare I say, having covered this team for four straight years, that might have been the most, or certainly one of the most. Let's not get hyperbolic, let's not get too carried away. I'm gonna say one of the most important periods in the brief and oftentimes brilliant history of these Firebirds Hoki leading them to that eventual 6-2 win. That's how we do. On and on, and on and on, and on and on. I'm too cheap to pay for the Erica Badu, and I'll probably get some copyright infringement notes. I've actually played the song, so I'll just sing it for you. But that's how the Firebirds play all time. They played 12 playoff series. They've won nine of them. Never have the Firebirds not appeared, except for the double negative, but never have they not appeared in the second round of these Calder Cup playoffs. Bye-bye Bakersfield. Hello, Ontario. The boys now move on to a team that finished in first place after an excellent season for the rain. Finishing first in the Pacific Division, authored themselves a very impressive record of 47, 23, and 2. They're 99 total points as fourth best in the American League this season. Teams, of course, are well versed on one another. Just a second all-time playoff meeting, however, between the Birds and the Rain, first coming two years ago during the Birds' second consecutive run to the Calder Cup Finals. Faced Ontario, went to Ontario, came back here, got it done in short sweet time. That was a 3-0 series sweep. Not sure we can necessarily expect or anticipate the same for this go-around because Ontario is really darn good. And at the same time, as the Firebirds proved in that first round, not only are they a particularly resilient bunch, but we're really damn good too. And we showed as much versus Ontario for the most part over the course of the season. From the birds' vantage, over the course of those eight meetings, the eight times that the two teams played, the birds authored a record against Ontario of 3-3-2. I guess if you looked at it from a different lens, the Ontario lens, it would look a little different. Why? Because, well, of those eight games, four of them took a place in overtime, needed extra minutes to get those done, and five of those games were one goal contests. So for the most part, in very large part, the two teams played very, very tight. How did Ontario get it done this year? Well, they have depth, they have depth of scoring, they have some good scores, and they have some exceptional goaltending. For the former, uh six guys, six players for the reign this year get that 40-point mark with Messrs. Kromiac and Alexandrov both co-leading the team ultimately with 56 points. Kromiac did lead the reign with 28 goals on the year. Should be noted that with the Kings eliminated in a swift fashion, not that they played terribly, but get knocked out and swept by the Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Did he get a player back? Uh Brunswick, Minnesota's own, by the way. Jared Wright making his way back to Ontario after the Kings eliminated for the postseason. Jared did play all four games for the Kings in that opening round loss to the Avalanche. Also had himself a fine season for Ontario in 54 games, 17 goals, 13 points that tell uh 13 assists, rather, tells me he had 30 total points on the year. Cumulatively, as mentioned, Ontario uh they do uh score eighth in total goals in the AHL this year, 237. But probably more notably, likely more notably, I think it's safe to say, fourth in the entire American League in goals against, allowing just a mere 187 on the season, in comparison on contr in contrast with the Birds' most recent opponent, Bakersfield, obviously gave up a lot of goals. We scored a lot of goals in that series as well. 49 fewer goals did Ontario allow over the course of the regular season when compared with those Bakersfield condors. One good thing, I'm gonna call it a good thing, people could look at it a few different ways. But the rain, by virtue of achieving that uh first place finish and the number one overall seed in the Pacific Division, they do have the bye, and it turned out to be a pretty lengthy one. By the time that these two teams get back to action this Wednesday night, uh Ontario had an 11-day break. We've seen how that's gone for the Firebirds a couple years ago when we had a lengthy break, and then came out a little funky. I want to say it was against Calgary, which of course we ultimately overcame in a short time. But the start of that series did look a little uh did look a little rusty. We'll see if the rain are the same when we get to Toyota Arena this Wednesday night, which serves as a fine segue to the round two series schedule. Yeah, Wednesday, April 29th. The birds are away to get this best of five going at Toyota Arena in Ontario, the I-10 rival. We'll see you on the highway. We'll see you over there. I'm gonna make my way there for game one. That's a 7 p.m. puck drop at Ontario. Game two, also at Ontario. This Friday, May 1st, also a 7 p.m. start time. The series then turns back here to Palm Desert. Going east on the 10. Game three. Next Tuesday, May 5th. That is a 7 p.m. start time. Now we get into the asterisk. I think I said that right. Man, I really struggle with that word. Game four, if necessary, will take place at Accursure Arena next Thursday, May 7th. That will also be a 7 p.m. start. And then, if needed, the series uh deciding game five will occur next Saturday, May 9th, 6 p.m. start in Ontario back to Toyota Arena. Last time we played the playoffs there, I remember driving down the I-10 and going to the west on the I-10, seeing a lot of those Firebirds flags, and all streaming in unison. There were thousands. I want to say, dare I say thousands of Firebirds fans that made their way for that playoff game in Ontario. Hopefully, certainly see the same again. One more thing on the rain I want to mention, just to kind of close out that thought about their excellent goaltending. They got two guys, two vets that really get it done. Uh Eric Portillo, both of them veterans, by the way. Eric Portillo, 187-3 uh over the course of this last year. 2.45 goals against and the same percentage. Very good, a point nine zero seven. And then the veteran Phoenix Copley. He was uh back and forth. He's a he's a 2.78 NHL game, so he's back and forth a little bit. Uh 21, 11, and 1, also a good goals against of 2.59 and the same percentage, also over 900.901. Those 21 wins for Phoenix were good for 11 in the entire AHL for the Birds players. Well, a lot of them really stepped up, including our guests on this episode, Oscar Fisker Molgard, led the Birds in that first round series with five points, including a very impressive three goals paired with two assists. Those five points should be noted good for second in the entire AHL playoff scoring chase. Had three guys all really stepped up, Messrs. Malanson, Morrison, and Newman, each with four points, one goal, and three assists apiece. That goal that uh Yanni scored in the uh deciding game three. It was nice to see him do that. We need him to heat up. That breaks a 10-game scoreless streak for Yanni. And then uh Ferkas and Ty Nelson, Jagger Ferkas and Ty each contributed three points apiece. Both of them played some exceptional hockey and coming back to grab that first round series over Bakersfield. All right, friends, all that offered, all that preface, that's gonna wrap up the Firebirds freeze frame segment. Thanks again to the ground squirrel and the 29 Palms Beer Company. Let's get to this episode's playoff visit with forward Oscar Disker-Molgard. All right, Firebirds friends. As preface, my guest on this episode is a 21-year-old native of Denmark. He is well traveled over the course of this season. We've enjoyed his presence here in the desert for 49 games, not including three more playoff games. Also spent 13 with the Kraken up in the NHL. Also spent some time in Italy playing four games for team Denmark. Try to get him uh at least twice, if not three efforts over the course of this season, but he keeps getting called up. We finally pinned down, we call him OFM in the business. Welcome Oscar Fisker Mulgart to the Fire Nights podcast. Hello, Oscar.
SPEAKER_00Thank you, appreciate it. Yeah, glad to finally be here.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, finally, finally, we finally got you pinned down, man.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um 21 years old. Finally, legally, you can drink a Carl's bed here in the States at least. Is that would that be your Danish beer of choice?
SPEAKER_00Probably, yeah. Um, I gotta admit, even though it's kind of embarrassing that I'm I don't like beer that much, I'm I'm getting more into it, but as a Dan it kind of sounds sounds wrong not liking beer, so you know I'm I'm still learning and and trying to get better at it.
SPEAKER_02Is there a Danish beer more popular than that? I've been and have as I will reference briefly but momentarily, I've been to Copenhagen and everyone was was drinking Carlsbad.
SPEAKER_00I don't know if there's a different beer that's yeah, no, I think that that one's pretty hard to be. Um that's obviously our our own our own brand, so we're we're proud of it, and we yeah, a lot of guys drink it a lot back home.
SPEAKER_02One of the other things I did, and this is a family show, you know, this is this is this is for kids, so I won't delve too deep into some of my Copenhagen experiences back in like 1998 or something like that. Uh but we went to Christiana. Uh, you're familiar, I assume, with Christiana? Okay. I assumed that you were. I didn't want to catch you off guard with that, but yeah, being a native Dane, I figured you were maybe the strangest, uh most unique, interesting, weird place I've ever been in my life.
SPEAKER_00It's quite interesting. I mean, I I grew up pretty far from Copenhagen in a smaller town, so so I got some family in Copenhagen, so when we would go visit them, we would obviously always go there and you know trying to check it out. And when you were young, it was pretty cool going there and telling all your friends that you went there. And yeah, it's it's quite interesting, but also a fun place. And uh, I mean the people from the community obviously love it, so it's yeah, it's quite the place.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and Christiana, it's like that maybe not for kids. Like that maybe not that's not a kid's thing about it.
SPEAKER_00Again, there's like they they don't harm harm anyone. I mean, a lot of people go there uh walk around. It's it's honestly uh it's it's a beautiful place as well. Um, a lot of great nature, uh funny buildings. So, you know, as a kid, as a school, it was it was fun going there, you know, walking around and and seeing that stuff, uh, even though obviously some some stuff was going on once in a while.
SPEAKER_02Sure, colorful place. A lot of, as you said, there's nature, a lot of artists, a lot of unique architecture. Obviously, when I was there, it was like a 22-year-old kid, it made an impression on me ever since. Alright, had to get in a uh a Copenhagen or Christiana reference. Sticking with your your roots and and fear not, listeners. We will get to uh the condors and eventually the rain here, but I've been waiting to ask Oscar some of these questions since like January. Um I'm curious about this. I don't know if this is part of Danish heritage, but you go with the Fisker, Oscar Fisker Mulgar. But Fisker is your mom's maiden name. Yes. Okay, does everybody do that in Copenhagen?
SPEAKER_00Um, so I guess my parents aren't married, so that kind of um has a role too. I know a lot of my friends do have double last names back home, so that's why I've kind of always been using both of mine. Um yeah, as I said, my parents are married, so it's always been you know Fisker Molegaard, and especially since I I got older, I've been using Fisker even more and you know trying to try to make that last name proud as well. So, you know, it's just yeah, it it's kind of been become a bigger thing, and you know, I don't mind it. Um I'm glad to make make mom happy as well.
SPEAKER_02Yes, and sometimes um we've seen you like the Olympics, and we'll get to that, but lists your name is Oscar Moldgard. They didn't they didn't include the Fisker. At least when you go like to the Olympics page. I mean, when you see somebody exclude or take out the Fisker, do you have to tell them like, no, this is how I get this is what I go by?
SPEAKER_00Okay, right. Um, I gotta be be more aware of that. Um yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um speaking of your parents, um, again, going back to January when doing some research on on you uh and your family, your dad, uh a fine hockey player, Lars, correct?
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um played a lot of years of professional hockey in Europe, like 15? Yeah, something something like that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think he started pretty early in and obviously he he grew up in Denmark, played there for a while. I think he had two junior years in Dolphin Kings here in in North American. Yeah, and then eventually went went back home again and and played for uh for my hometown team. Um that's where he he met my mom as well.
SPEAKER_02Okay, yeah. Different type of player than you?
SPEAKER_00He was uh he was an offensive forward, not that uh responsible, um didn't have that much responsibility in the D zone like like I I tend to do sometimes, but yeah, he was uh he was a goal scorer, could could score goals and he was he was physical and you know had some yeah had some of that in his game. So you know it was it was yeah, easy for me to grow up with a guy like that. He was even a part of the national team as well, and you know, obviously the the Danish hockey community is uh as one small and big family. Um so I was just having him when I was growing up and he had a lot of connections and all that stuff. Obviously, it made it a bit easier, easy on me.
SPEAKER_02Do you guys communicate a lot about hockey? Does he like to give you a few?
SPEAKER_00I do, especially when I was younger. Um I'm trying not to listen to him too much because I'm not remembering I like to say that I'm finally better than him, but you know, especially when I was younger, I think that was uh a huge, huge thing for me to you know, kinda have him to lean on. I mean, it wasn't always easy on me, which uh obviously when I was younger wasn't always that fun, but you know, now looking back at it, I think that's you know, kind of uh one of the reasons that I am where I am today, and and obviously um I wouldn't be here be here without him or my mom as well and the rest of my family. So, you know, I appreciate all the the tough talks and all the the tough times, but also the the good things and and all that stuff he's he's taught me out there.
SPEAKER_02Do you would you say, and maybe your dad will listen to this, would you say to Lars that you are now decidedly better than he ever was?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think we we kind of figured that out. Um that could even be a year or two ago as well. Um that's something we've been been discussing for a while, and I think he he might agree on that.
SPEAKER_02Well, speaking of your parents, they obviously continue to follow your career, support your career, support you closely. There were some very meaningful uh stories that I thought that came out of the NHL back in November when you made your debut. I think it was in Chicago. Correct me if that's correct. Uh and your parents, a very lengthy. The journey to see you make that NHL debut, upwards of 30 hours of travel to get there?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that was kind of that was kind of crazy. I remember um getting into the office here in in Coachella the day before. It was a Wednesday. Um and and Ron was in there too, and you know, they they told me I was I was planning to go to Chicago and play my first NHL game that that next day. Um so you know, obviously uh my my heart started pumping right away and you know getting sweaty and all that, and then you know, grabbed my phone and and went to to call mom and dad right away. Um so that was uh a special moment for us, and I remember dad saying, like, oh, what are we getting on a plane? Like he was he was just ready to go, and uh they were both uh on the way home. I think that was still at work, but mom was on her way home, so you know, just straight home and and started packing, and then yeah, off to off to Copenhagen and then off to Chicago.
SPEAKER_02Uh and I believe your brother was in attendance as well.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so I think it was important for me to also have him there. He's uh he's been a big part of this too, been dragged all around uh uh Europe and I don't I don't know what. Um so you know we we definitely wanted him there as well, and I'm glad they they all made it in in time for that game.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. I don't know if you'll remember this, Oscar, but it stuck out to me. You know, you you and I were chatting before uh we got the uh recorder cooking here formerly, and yeah, I mean I've been to a lot of these games. I've been around this arena a lot, been around this team a lot, but I remember distinctly, it must have been like a year ago, probably a little longer than that. It was right when you got here for the first time. Um, and you were like like literally had just gotten here. You were fresh off the plane, you walked into the uh pre-game meal room with Troy Bodie, and I was sitting there having dinner, and it was pretty quiet in there, and you just came right up to me and introduced yourself, and it was like, yeah, you you were literally fresh off of the plane, and I was kind of I put down my utensils and I was like, Oh wow, we we just don't see that, or I haven't experienced that on a weekly or monthly or even seasonal basis, where you know, before the games and such, or players, they kind of like their space, the media like their space, but I distinctly remember like what a nice young man, what a gentleman to just kind of say, How are you doing? and you ask me a few questions, and then I'd let you go on your way, and we'd look at you and your career now a year later, and that not just your talent, but I think that type of attitude and your personality. I mean, what a year for you, man. Like, if we would have talked a year ago about, oh, by the way, you're gonna be playing 13 games in the NHL, you're gonna be playing in the Olympics with Team Denmark, where you're gonna perform very well. What what would you have said to me if like you knew that was gonna be your experience ahead?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, um, I'm not sure I would have believed you. Um again, um, you can always always stream, and that's always something I've been, you know, trying to do. Um, but yeah, uh I know I remember getting over here last year and you know, kind of nervous about it all. You know, you want to get over here and make a make a good impression and you know get to know all the guys and kind of uh get prepared for for what's ahead for for this this upcoming year or uh this year we just had. So I know it's you know, we're just trying to you know get into things and you know, get to know guys uh uh both on the team and and outside the team. And uh, you know, I think uh those seven games I had definitely did they're good for me and really helped me prepare for for this season. Um so yeah, I'm glad I ended up going here.
SPEAKER_02The I I don't want to ask you to gauge or rank um what was more impactful for you or upon you this past season, but kind of way out for me the 13 games in the NHL, the impact that had, and then the four games playing in the Olympics. Different, I'm sure, but equally meaningful in different ways.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. I mean it's it's always hard to to put those two things up against each other. I mean, you've always been dreaming of playing in the NHL. That was a travel dream of of mine, and uh as it is for for most hockey hockey players growing up, but at the same time, uh uh whenever you get the opportunity of of representing your your country and especially at probably the biggest stage in the world at the Olympics, uh I don't think it gets a lot bigger than that as well. So, you know, uh I've been fortunate enough to do both this this year and and and you know, uh probably once the season is is over eventually, hopefully in a in a couple, a couple weeks, then you know you can can look back at it and kind of you know, really like then probably you'll realize what what had happened. I think right now you're still kind of in the moment, haven't really uh I wouldn't say haven't enjoyed it, but but you haven't really like okay, maybe not realized exactly what has happened. So, you know, yeah, it'll be fun uh eventually once the season is is over to look back at and really, you know, uh once yeah, you'll realize that okay, wow, this this was a fun year, and obviously that'll that'll give you, yeah, you you you'll want it even more. So yeah, no, it'll be it'll be great eventually. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02The depth that we saw at the Olympics was obviously very, very impressive as uh this continues to become even more of a global game. Obviously, I I think you know that we all assessed the chalk that the top teams were gonna be US and Canada, but beyond that, Denmark included, there were six or seven teams that those that really followed the Olympics closely knew were gonna be very, very good. Uh Denmark ultimately won one game when you got to the uh I think it was the qualifier playoff round. You had a very good game against the Czechs. You lost uh two to three. Did you expect more? Did you think Denmark might do better?
SPEAKER_00Um I mean uh it's always hard. You know, we we knew it was gonna be a good tournament, but again, you you gotta believe, and and our goal within the team was was a quarterfinal, and and obviously we we came up a bit short against uh Czech in that last game. Um I think we we'd play well. Uh again, we played well all tournament. I think we started off well against Germany. Uh honestly, I think we we could have and should have won that game, but uh unfortunately that didn't happen. Obviously, then we played uh the US, they had a great team. Didn't play, we played solid, but they were better than us. And then again, I think we we didn't play our best game against Latvia, but but still found a way to win, and then we gave ourselves a chance against Czechia. And you know, it was yeah, just one of those games where we got a bit unlucky at the end, and that's that's what happens again. It was uh it was a good tournament with with great players and and great teams, and it was just overall uh a great experience being there and and watching all those athletes, you know, at that stage. It was it was really fun.
SPEAKER_02Did you go watch some other events?
SPEAKER_00Uh tried to. Uh unfortunately it was it was kind of spread out this year, which was a shame, but you know, you you saw athletes coming back to the village with with gold medals, silver medals, and you're like, wow, those those looked pretty nice. I like one of those myself. So, you know, just kind of overall the experience of of being in that village and you know, seeing other athletes, like uh how much it means to to them too, obviously, and you know, uh being uh a team sport is obviously different from from an individual sport. So um, no, it was just fun getting to know other athletes and and kind of being being around them.
SPEAKER_02One of the other fascinating things about the Olympics is how one would cross paths with those with whom they've played, that played on uh the same teams, that are teams that you're competing against. It was a particularly interesting situation for you, I thought, because while we were very, very proud to have a current Firebird. We also had a former Firebird, an Alex True, that was part of Team Denmark. How is Alex? And did you guys kind of I'm sure you've known him for for some time, but did you communicate about uh the desert?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, we did. I mean, he he obviously he he loved it here and he he told me he misses it, and yeah, I can I can obviously tell why. I mean, this is this place is it's quite quite special, and and you know, I mean, this is that's what the the national team does as well. I mean, we're we're all just one big family, and and we love love getting to go, and it's always uh the same guys going and you you get so tight, and especially me and Alex too. I mean, before going here, I was uh asking him a lot about the the place here where to live, um, how the guys, the staff, like just overall the city, and you know, he was telling me me great things, and I can only only add to that too. So, you know, it was yeah, obviously going and seeing those guys and meeting former players or teammates, and you know, just yeah, you know, chatting and and meeting other players too. It's yeah, it's it's I love yeah, I love the hockey community. It's uh it's quite the place.
SPEAKER_02Alex True, one of the uh most important goals in the history of Firebirds hockey. I don't know if that brought that up, but uh memory serves, and I have to go back to my not just January notes, but archives. Well, it was the same round that the Firebirds are about to enter. Uh it was round two of our initial year. We were playing the Colorado Eagles, a very good team, a tough team to play in the second round, and we were down 1-2 in that series of memory serves. Alex True got a short-handed goal in that game at Accrochure Arena. We went on to win that uh game and then ultimately win the series and make it to the Color Cup Finals. I don't know if he likes to bring up that he scored that goal, but it's one that obviously sticks with us here.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, I think he's uh he's a humble guy. Um he doesn't tend to get into that stuff uh too much, but um I'm glad you brought it up because then I'll have to ask him if I think he'll he'll probably like that. Um I'm I'm pretty sure that's uh that's a great memory for him, obviously.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, not for that. I mean, that whole first season, that whole first playoff run could have been an entirely different narrative, very, very key moment in Firebird's history. One more on Team Denmark. Uh one of your teammates, uh now his name escapes me, uh, but he plays for Henderson Silver Knights, yes?
SPEAKER_03Yeah, Romberg. Yes.
SPEAKER_02Yes. And uh I think you guys played, it was either we played Henderson either right after the Olympics or it was right before the Olympics. Um I can't necessarily remember which. Maybe you'll remember better than I will.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think we uh we played them twice right before the Olympics. I think I had left for that though. I already flew over, um, so I didn't play those games, and I think we might have played them one of the first games when I got back from the Olympics as well. So yeah, um, could have been something like that.
SPEAKER_02And any extra uh chatter or a wink or a laugh or the guy that you just played again and now playing against?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, I mean, unfortunately for him, he uh he actually never went because he got hurt. Uh he was called up a week before the Olympics and ended up getting hit, and I think something could have been his MCO or something like that. He he was actually out for like six weeks or so um and just came back uh like a week or two before the playoffs. So that was uh you know, you gotta feel bad for a guy like that. You know, that's the the worst possible thing that could have could have happened, obviously, going up to the Olympics. And I know he was he was definitely fired up to go like like the rest of us, and you know, we we kind of felt filled with him when we all went there, and you know, that was a shame for him. So hopefully he'll look at the opportunity again in in four years.
SPEAKER_02So much for me in my dated notes. That's why we have you here to make these clarifications and corrections. You, by the way, being uh birds forward, Oscar Fisker, Molgard, friends, you are tuning in to the Desert Suns Fire and Ice podcast presented by Desert Willow Golf Resort, Birds Getting Ready for Best of Five, versus our I-10 rival, the Ontario Rain. I'm gonna put it this way, Oscar. You and I, where we are sitting in Acuchure Arena now, we we happen to have near us a well, we'll we'll just call it kind of generally some scouting information on your opponent. Uh players that have a couple bullet bullet points under their name. For the on the rain side, what do you think the bullet points are when they're scouting Oscar Fisker Mulgard?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's a great question. I think that's one of the hardest questions you can get as a as an athlete, you know, having to talk about yourself. But yeah, I don't know. Um could be could be something like uh, no, I don't want to give in too much, but you know, 200 feet forward, you know, both offensively and defensively. Um, they'd probably like to take away um some of my speed. And you know, uh, don't want to get too much into that, but you know, yeah, we'll see if they they can can manage that or not.
SPEAKER_02I love it. Holding the keeping the cards close in case there are rain listeners to end, I guess going through uh some of the data in the podcast. There are listeners in Ontario. Yeah, you never know what's around.
SPEAKER_00Gotta keep them close, yeah.
SPEAKER_02That's fine. Well, the scouting report that I see, and and you know, you don't need a special piece of paper or any bullet points or high letters to know this, but man, when I see you go through the neutral zone, especially, and when we miss not having you here, it was something that it was kind of omitted from the bird's attack. And now having you back, seeing the way that you move through the neutral zone, across the blue line into the other team zone, it's something in which you seem particularly skilled and are very, very good at. It's not a skill that a ton of players have or can do it successfully. See a lot of times where it kind of gets a little clunky, the other team takes the puck away, or the offense just kind of throws in the towel and dumps it and makes a line change or something. Is that something that you practice a lot?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, I've I've been fortunate enough to work with a lot of uh uh guys around the league here and and and even in in Sweden as well. I mean, obviously the game back in in Europe is a lot more puck possessed, and uh I like to have the puck in my stick and you know, especially you know, going through the neutral zone and and going with speed and you know coming underneath and gaining speed and getting that puck. I like to keep the puck in my stick and kind of dish it around from there. So uh that's uh something I've been working a lot with and you know trying and keep working on to make yeah Excel even better at it and you know being able to make plays and you know uh being you know kind of hard to play against.
SPEAKER_02How do you work on that in practice?
SPEAKER_00Oh, I mean it's obviously uh a lot of video, but again, uh you know, you gotta work in your uh yeah, uh practice. It can be uh kind of drills. I mean, our coaches are good at doing that. We got Larky who who helps us out with small details in our game. Um I'm fortunate enough to work with Franch Nielsen too, who who works as uh a development guy for for Seattle, and and that's a guy I've been working with a lot the past um three years since yeah, what is it? Yeah, since I got drafted, which is almost three years ago. So you know, just you know, you're just trying to listen and learn every single day, and I think that's that's what it's all about all about, and especially this year has been a learning curve for for me and and all the other guys and rookies, so it's been yeah, it's been a great year.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, one of the things that we've we really look for here, and that we've we've been taught to look for across four years of seeing development with with young guys is um how much do they are they comfortable with the puck on their stick in this league? And the more games you play, the longer you hear, the more you develop. It's something that I always look for. It's something that I I feel like we saw a lot last year with uh with Ty Nelson, something much more this year with Jagger Furkas, uh, where he's kept uh just you know, that extra second of patience of having the puck on your stick. And certainly for you over the course of this season, it feels like that that is some serious growth that that we've seen. Just that extra second of having the puck on your stick before trying to pass, trying to be unselfish, maybe dumping it. For you personally, is is that an area of growth that you've seen for yourself, or might it be something else that's more?
SPEAKER_00No, absolutely. I mean, you um you again you wanna you wanna try and make plays when when plays are to be made, again, you you want to be smart, you don't want to you know make make stupid turnovers or anything like that. And I think especially uh it can be hard sometimes as a rookie coming, you're trying to gain the the coaches' trust and and all that stuff, uh, but at the same time, you know, you gotta get it there to make plays. And if you make them at the right time when they're they are to be made, well then you you can you can grow as a player as well. And I think you've seen, as you're mentioning, for a kid guy like him, uh I didn't see him much last year, but again, he's just been you know unreal for us this year, and you know, when whenever he has the puck on his stick, you know, good things will will often happen. So he's uh he's a fun play to watch, and it's been been a huge part of our success this year.
SPEAKER_02Obviously, for the fourth time as many seasons, the birds extending into the second round of the playoffs. We're getting we're getting spoiled, you know. We've we've enjoyed it now, getting to the second round, if not uh further every single year. This particular first round did not start off well for the Firebirds. Obviously, it ended very well. Describe for me that bus ride back from Bakersfield after what was not a good game, a 1-6 loss for the Firebirds.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, I mean obviously that was uh you know a bit of a salty feeling. But again, uh, you know, it goes goes fast in hockey. It's all about, you know, we we have to look back and see, okay, what can we do better? But at the same time, you you kind of need to forget about it and re-reset uh and and just you know look ahead. Uh we know we knew we we had our our backs against the wall uh this weekend, and and I think we you know we we kind of all found our game and you know all figured out okay what what what does it take to to win playoff games? It's uh it's a different kind of hockey than than the regular season. And I think once we figured that out, I mean we we we look like one hell of a team out there and play it for each other, and you know, it was just uh a lot of fun being a part of.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. What what did you sense in that brief interim after game one into game three? Were guys was there hanging their heads, or was there uh concerns, worries, um stress of knowing that you have to get two in a row, or was it that belief that we've seen this throughout the course of this year?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean again, I think we we had that belief the whole time. Uh obviously it didn't feel great after that first game. Uh it didn't turn out the way we we wanted it to, and and you're allowed to be to be mad and and and disappointed in yourself, and I think we we all kind of were to some degree, but but again, uh as I said before, it's all about resetting and I think we we kind of did that on on the bus, you know. Yeah, chill, just hang out as we usually do. Came in Friday, had a good meeting, and you know, uh, you know, kind of just you know, talk talked and talked it all out and and had a good stretch and then you know, just some some good vibes and yeah, that belief, as you said. I think that was a big deal for us to, you know, keep keep believing, and that's what we did Saturday for that game. And you know, as soon as we won that game, then you know anything can happen that that last game when when you got everything. Uh yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean you guess you got nothing to lose, just just gotta go.
SPEAKER_02Couple more for you today with Oscar Fisker Molgard friends. Uh now move on to uh the second round, and what I think we can look at is a is a different style of test versus the Ontario reign. Again, as mentioned at the outset of this episode, guys played a made times, uh won three of those games, a lot of close games, four and OT, five, one goal games. Compare and contrast uh the different styles of Bakersfield and what we'll see with Ontario.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean I think uh one of Ontario's uh biggest strengths is their um defensive zone. I think they're a really strong defensive team. Um so that's something we we have to you know kind of figure out how to break down. Uh and I think the key for us will be shooting pucks and you know, resetting pucks behind the net and you know making it harder on on their D's and making them tired. So I think that'll be be key for us. I think you know, especially Bakersville, we knew they they had a great offense. Uh, you know, they're really really dangerous when they can you know get around the zone, and we saw that especially in the first game and uh sometimes throughout the second and the third game too. But you know, once we we start playing our game and you know um keep the puck down and in their zone, then we're we know we're one healthy team as well. So you know we we want to break down Ontario's game as as as much as possibly we we can and then you know kind of take it game by game. Uh you know, we we won't win the series in the first game, so you know, gotta come come in with the same mindset as we did this last yeah, this weekend, and then kind of take it from there.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, uh, we've tried uh over the years in different ways. Maybe some of this is media, maybe some of it is marketing, um, to make a rivalry with uh the Firebirds and the Rain, based obviously not just we're in the same division, but very close proximity, just about an hour and change away. We've had fans of ours go uh to see the Firebirds play at uh at Toyota Arena. We've definitely seen a rain contingent come over here oftentimes for their games at uh Accrochure Arena. Amongst the players, do you sense that there is a genuine rivalry based on this proximity, or is that something we're just making out?
SPEAKER_00No, I mean I feel like uh I don't know how it wasn't it past if if Ontario's had a rivalry with someone else, but I think for our pla for us players, you know, we we've played them eight times throughout the season, and it's hard not to, you know, kind of get to kind of dislike each other out there and you know you wanna you wanna wanna beat them. Uh and obviously they don't want to beat us as bad as we we want to beat them. So you know it's it I think uh kind of talking out like that and you know having that rivalry and I think that'll make it make the game games even better and and make them even more intense. So, you know, I I love to call 'em that uh I'm not sure if they have it somewhere else, but you know, I I love to call it that and you know we're we're gonna be be ready to to go from from puck drop tomorrow.
SPEAKER_02I'll ask you lastly, Oscar, of course the firebirds coming through. What was a good challenge? Physical high-scoring series, many adjectives we could use for this first round. That was versus Bakersfield. The rain, meanwhile, by virtue of grabbing the first seed, I mean, between their last regular season game and their first playoff game, it's like 11 days. For you personally, would you rather be in the Firebirds skates? Where like, yeah, you know, we've kept this group, we've kept this momentum, we've played together more, we've had battles, or would you rather have the 11-day rest?
SPEAKER_00I mean, it's it's tough. I mean, I gotta see from our perspective, and and um, I like what we're at right now. Uh we we we've been playing some good hockey um this past weekend, and and I think that'll be to our advantage something we can bring into this uh this game tomorrow. Obviously, rest is always always good for you, but we're uh I think we're we're healthy, we're feeling good, and we're um yeah, we're just ready to go tomorrow.
SPEAKER_02Oscar, appreciate your time. Go get him versus the rain, man. Yes, sir.
SPEAKER_00Thank you.
SPEAKER_02Now wrap up this special playoff edition of the Desert Suns Fire and Ice Podcast, presented by Desert Willow Golf Resort with the Desert Shootouts segment, Python Python Playoffs edition, exclamation point. At least that's how I have it type in the subject line that I sent to our man reporter with the Desert Sun, Andrew John. Hello, Andrew.
SPEAKER_01Hey Judd, excited for the for the next round here.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, Andrew and I look like we're gonna be Road Warriors together. Screaming down the 10, checking out game one. Might be a little homerish to have Firebird's flags, but I don't know. We'll see who drives. I drive fast, man. I trust you've got kids, so you probably drive safe. Either way, we'll make it from Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Laquinta, our desert proper along at the I-10 to Toyota Arena. To hopefully see a very good game for the Firebirds. In the end term, more questions, but less time for the playoffs edition of the shootout. Seven questions for Andrew John. We set him up, we knock him down, we start with this one. Fill in the blank, Andrew. The comeback win, series comeback win over Bakersfield, has you feeling what?
SPEAKER_01Has me feeling encouraged because I think that you know the end of the regular season wasn't great for the Firebirds. The first game of this series of the last series was not great. But we we know talent-wise, this is a very talented group collectively, and I was encouraged that it all came together and they showed it in that game three.
SPEAKER_02I would have to agree with you, man. And I and I also kind of feel like just to add on to your answer, there's gotta be a feeling of momentum that comes with surviving a tough series like that and get getting past it. It has to like be another building block of belief for this team. So I'm with the case.
SPEAKER_01Especially for a young group, you know, to be down and to come back. That's gotta the the belief for them has gotta be huge.
SPEAKER_02I agree wholeheartedly. Uh question rather, two of seven for Andrew John for this next series as we move on, round two, birds versus rain. You're keeping a close eye on what, Andrew.
SPEAKER_01I'm keeping a close eye on the power play. Because, you know, they've struggled throughout the year on the power play. The Firebirds have, but in those two wins that they're coming off of, they scored each time on the power play. And I think that's going to be critical to their success in this series.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, agree entirely. We did see him wake up a little bit. Not a very good uh season, not a good game one, I think. 0 for 7 uh that first game against Bakerfield on the power play. Also be curious to see if we get the return of Cooper Moroti, um, who's been a nice power play uh addition uh during his brief time with the Firebirds. But I'm with you. Special teams can have a lot to say about this series. Question three for Andrew John, desert shootout segment. The key Firebirds player for this series is whom?
SPEAKER_01I think it's Nikkei Coco. You know, he had a brilliant game in game three, and that was uh that was big for them to win because you know they were outshot 15-5 in the first period, but came away with a scoreless tie in going to that first intermission. And Coco, I think, deserves a lot of credit for getting the Firebirds uh going and keeping them in that game on uh as before they had that big offensive explosion in the second period. I think he's gonna have to have a big game because he's playing a very good offensive team. And I don't think there's a lot of room for the type of six goal goals that he allowed in the first game of the last series. I don't think there's gonna be a lot of room for that type of play in this series.
SPEAKER_02Nike Coco said something interesting. Maybe he wishes he didn't say it, but he he's a he's a kid and he did let this out to us at the post-game presser on Sunday after game three. He said that after Saturday's game two win, he said they knew he knew that they were gonna win game three. Again, he might have kind of uh not necessarily wanted to let us know that because I feel like he kind of paused after he said that. But he had I don't know. How would you just as a follow-up, how would you classify the way that he held himself, carried himself in that Sunday press conference? He seemed very buoyant to me. There was a there was a sparkle there.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, he was uh I I would think he was the most happy guy in the Firebirds locker room because you know, they if they had not won the series, then there would be a lot of people looking at to looking at his play or in the early game. And even in the second game, you know, he was getting better every game, but in the second game, still out four goals. So I think there would have been a lot of finger pointing there on him and his play, but he was arguably the best player on the ice in that game three. And so, I mean, how can you not be happy if you're him in that situation?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, gave up ten goals the first two games, but as you referenced, got it done when it mattered most. Question four or seven desert shootout for Andrew John of the Desert Sun. The Firebirds will win this series because blank.
SPEAKER_01Well, I think the Firebirds will win this series if they win one of the two games in Ontario. One of the first two games, I should say. I just feel like if you can win one of those, then if you if you come back to Acrocher Arena with the series tied one-one, there's no guarantee you're gonna win both in Acrocher Arena, but I think I think if they win one, I feel like the chances of them winning the series go up exponentially. And I think that it's really vital that they win one of these first two games. Because if your back is against the wall and you gotta win three in a row, I I just don't see them have see them doing that against this Ontario Rain team. So that's why the fire, that's why I say if the Firebirds will win the series if they win one of the first two games in Ontario.
SPEAKER_02Great point. One of many great points that Andrew John brought up in his preview article, which you can find at desertsun.com. Inversely, Andrew, the rain will win this series because blank.
SPEAKER_01I think the rain will win this series if they play the way that they have, you know, in in their recent games against the Firebirds, meaning just playing with more consistency. We saw that the Firebirds, I think on I will say this is gonna sound like a little bit of a homer, but I think talent-wise, the you could argue that the Firebirds may be just as talented. I think the difference is uh Ontario is just more of a veteran team, they're more consistent with their play, a little more buttoned up, not as much uh you know, little errors here and there. So I feel like if the ring continue to play that way, they they will win the series.
SPEAKER_02Question six and seven, by the way, from an attendance vantage, the turnout for round one, I think we can classify as just okay. And we're talking the two home games at Acreshur Arena. What are you hoping to see? What are you expecting to see as round two makes its way to the birds barn next week?
SPEAKER_01I expect that the attendance to be higher, and that's in part because we will have a lot of rain fans coming coming over. Um, you know, we we saw them, we saw rain fans come in these last few regular season games earlier this month when the on when the rain played in Akash Arena, and the environment was just so much more electric because you had two fan bases kind of going back and forth with each other, and it just made it so much more fun. So I expect that, and I'm looking forward to that as well because I just feel like the deeper the firebirds go in the playoffs, the more fan support they will have. But you also add in the fact that it's a rival that will infuse some of their own fans into the arena, it just will make for a really fun environment.
SPEAKER_02Final question in the desert shootout for Andrew John of the Desert Sun series prediction in round two, birds versus rain. What do you got?
SPEAKER_01So in my preview, I did pick the rain in five games. Um, you know, it's not gonna make me the most popular guy, but I do I do believe that the rain will win the series. Uh I do see a scenario where the firebirds can absolutely win because, like I said, one one thing I I'm not sure if I mentioned this in the preview, but I think this Firebirds team might be as talented as the 2024 team that went to the Collar Cup finals for the Firebirds. Uh I just I think that the the difference between that team and this team is this team is significantly younger. There's gonna be uh you know, young guys going through some growing pains, and I just I do question whether they can pull it together for a full five-game series against a really, really good team, you know, the best team in the Pacific Division.
SPEAKER_02That's gonna make me equally unpopular. I didn't want to spoil that prediction, which was in your article. I want folks to go read it, of course. But I'm inclined to agree. Uh, I don't know if it's more than once that I've ever picked against the Firebirds in any of their previous 12 playoff series, but it feels to me like this rain team, as you referenced, you might even use this phrase. They are pretty buttoned up. Uh they play tight, they've got a couple of very good goaltenders. Can our guys overcome that and pop in three goals, maybe four goals a game? Um, that might be what it takes uh to take down a very deep and a very good and very successful rain team. Can the Firebirds do it? I think we're all in equal concurrence there. Absolutely. Absolutely, we could get past this second round, but I think it's gonna take that best version of the Firebirds that we saw in period two on Sunday against Bakersfield. Can they put that together over a five-game stretch? That's what we will see over the course of this second round. And or John, I will see you in the car tomorrow as we're screaming down the 10 towards the Ota Arena. I will not support my bad habit of smoking cigarettes while in the car together, but I will probably pop a few zins along the way. Don't want your kids smelling smelling you when you smell like American spirits, dude. All right, appreciate the time, Andrew John. Looking forward to our peanut gallery in Ontario Wednesday night, game one. Thanks, buddy.
SPEAKER_01All right, thank you.
SPEAKER_02Thanks to forward Oscar Fisker Mulgard. Have himself a great season, a great playoff. Appreciate his time joining after practice, and best to Oscar, continued success as the birds are ready to battle the Ontario Rain in round two of these Calder Cup playoffs. Equal appreciation goes to the Desert Suns, Andrew John for the Desert Shootout segment. Of course, my partner in crime this year, the Desert Sun newspaper. Get all the online news, local sports, festival, firebirds covered, certainly at DesertSun.com. Or just go buy yourself a physical Desert Sun newspaper. Desert Willow Golf Resort, right here in Sunny Palm Desert, California. That's home to the Mountain View and Fire Cliff courses, respectively. Two of the finest public golf facilities, municipal golf facilities in the entire West Coast, my friends. I assure you of that. Get your uh tea times online today at Desertwillow.com. When you're on there poking around, be sure to check out the awesome and on-site Palm Desert Golf Academy for all your instruction needs. Our friends yonder High Desert, appreciate the support of both the Ground Squirrel and the 29 Palms Beer Company. Those are your high desert hockey homes. Remember, the 29 Palms Beer Company, they're televising every Firebirds game, whether it be home or away. Great place to sit back, kick your feet up, have a cold one, watch some Firebirds play off hockey. Quick reminder and refresh of this round two schedule. It is a best of five Firebirds versus Rain that gets underway in Ontario this Wednesday night. Hope to see you there. I'll be there Wednesday, April 29th, 7 p.m. Buckdrop. Game two this Friday night at 7 p.m. in Ontario. Series then back in Palm Desert on Tuesday, next Tuesday, May 5th. Then we move on to the if necessaries. Game four would be next Thursday in Palm Desert, 7 p.m. start. Game five, if needed, to decide the series. And it might. This is gonna be a tight one, friends. Game five would take place next Saturday, May 9th in Ontario at the Toyota Arena, 6 p.m. start. Exciting time of the hockey season, friends. Best time of the hockey season, friends. I look forward to seeing those cars on the I-10 for Wednesday night, and I look forward to seeing a lot of butts in the seats at Accursure Arena as the birds make their way back in round two next week. Until then, in the interim, and as always, thanks again for your time and for tuning in, and be well.
