The Coachella Valley Firebirds allowed three unanswered goals in the third period, two on the power play, in a 4-3 loss to the Abbotsford Canucks Friday in Seattle.
The Firebirds led 2-1 entering the third period on second-period goals by Alexander True and Jesper Froden.
Abbotsford tied the score two minutes into the third period when center Sheldon Dries banked a shot from behind the goal off Firebirds goaltender Joey Daccord for an unassisted power-play goal just as a cross-checking penalty to Firebirds defenseman Brogan Rafferty assessed at the end of the second period was expiring.
The Canucks (2-1-0-0) took the lead for good 4:59 later when defenseman Noah Juulsen put a slap shot from the right point past Daccord for his first goal of the season. Guillaume Brisebois and Dries were credited with the assists.
Abbotsford increased its lead to 4-2 with 8:54 left on Tristen Nielsen’s power-play goal off Dries’ assist, two seconds after Firebirds left wing Carsen Twarynski was called for tripping.
Firebirds coach Dan Bylsma first pulled Daccord for an extra attacker with 4:12 to play, coinciding with Firebirds’ right wing Kole Lind and Canucks defenseman Christian Wolanin beginning to serve coincidental two-minute roughing penalties.
The Firebirds (2-1-0-0) capitalized on the extra skater with True putting in a rebound of a shot by Gustav Olofsson with 3:47 remaining, cutting the deficit to 4-3. Andrew Poturalski was also credited with an assist.
Daccord returned to the ice immediately after the goal. He was pulled again with 49 seconds left. The Firebirds got one shot off with the extra skater, but Lind’s shot with 19 seconds left was stopped by Arturs Silovs.
The Firebirds were outshot 28-26, including an 11-5 disadvantage during the scoreless first period. They scored on one of their four power-play opportunities. Abbotsford scored on two of its four power-play opportunities.
Daccord (2-1-0-0) made 24 saves. Silovs (2-0-0-0) made 23.
The Firebirds opened the scoring 4:51 into the second period on True’s first goal of the season.
The Canucks, the Vancouver Canucks’ American Hockey League affiliate, tied the score at 10:18 when center Carson Focht put a backhanded shot past Daccord for his second goal of the season.
Firebirds right wing Jesper Froden scored for the third consecutive game, directing a pass from Poturalski into the net for a power-play goal at 16:52 of the second period.
An apparent goal by Firebirds right wing John Hayden eight minutes into the first period was nullified because it was ruled that he batted in the puck with a high stick.
The game at Kraken Community Iceplex, the practice facility of the Firebirds’ NHL parent team, the Seattle Kraken, was the first of their four in the Seattle area. The game was billed as a “sold out private event” with the attendance announced at 700.
The teams will meet again Sunday at Climate Pledge Arena, the Kraken’s home arena.
Because Acrisure Arena is under construction, the Firebirds will begin the season by playing 18 road games and four in the Seattle area before their first home game, Dec. 18.