Eagles' Pot of Gold Night Raises $130,130 for Teen With Heart Condition

The final score read 5-2 in favor of the Coachella Valley Firebirds, but that number was secondary to the one that mattered most at Blue Arena in Loveland: $130,130, raised in a single night for 16-year-old Jayden Jimenez of Greeley, who is living with a rare heart condition that has caused his heart to enlarge dramatically and required the implantation of a Left Ventricular Assist Device.

The Colorado Eagles' annual Pot of Gold Night, now in its 14th year, pushed the fundraiser's cumulative total past one million dollars raised for Northern Colorado families since its 2012 inception, a milestone that underscores how consistently the event has connected the franchise with the region it represents.

On the ice, the Firebirds controlled the night from the opening period. Defenseman Ville Ottavainen got Coachella Valley on the board first, burying a wrister from the blue line through traffic in front of the net at 6:07 of the first period to make it 1-0. Colorado never fully recovered, and the Firebirds pulled away to a 5-2 final.

The Eagles used two goaltenders in the loss. Miner finished with 13 saves on 14 shots before Keyser entered and suffered the defeat, allowing four goals on seven shots. At the other end, Coachella Valley's Kokko stopped 25 of the 27 shots he faced, picking up his 12th win of the season. Colorado's power play went 1-for-6 on the night, with the penalty kill finishing 2-for-3.

The AHL spotlighted the charity drive, which drew attention to Jimenez's situation and the Eagles' sustained commitment to raising funds for families in the surrounding community.

The Eagles and Firebirds meet again today at Blue Arena, with puck drop set for 3:05 p.m. MT. Tickets are available at ColoradoEagles.com or by calling or texting (970) 686-7468.