Firebirds Forward Sale Reaches 100 Career AHL Games Milestone

Firebirds forward Eduard Sale played his 100th American Hockey League game in the middle of a five-game winning streak. Coachella Valley swept the San Jose Barracuda, with Victor Ostman stopping 36 shots, including a third-period penalty shot stop, to earn his 16th win and first-star honors.

Mitchell Stephens opened the scoring with a shorthanded goal in the first period. San Jose tied it in the second, but J.R. Avon, the game's second star, restored the lead at 11:35 by tapping home a loose puck for his ninth goal of the year and the eventual game-winner. Third star Jakov Novak pushed the margin to 3-1 at 5:20 of the third period with his fourth goal of the season, and Lleyton Roed sealed the result with an empty-net goal in the final five seconds.

Coachella Valley was outshot 37-23 and went 0-for-1 on the power play, but the penalty kill finished a perfect 5-for-5. Ostman's penalty shot stop in the third period was the signature moment, taking a potential equalizer off the board at a critical juncture.

The Firebirds marked Sale's milestone with a congratulatory photo post, a nod to a forward who hit the 100-game mark during one of the team's most productive runs of the year.

Jackson Berezowski logged a career first alongside Sale's milestone, earning the secondary assist on Novak's third-period goal for his first AHL point.

Coachella Valley's record improved to 37-21-5-0. The Firebirds have won nine of their last ten games and moved into fourth place in the Pacific Division, setting up a homestand finale against the Ontario Reign on April 1st at 6:30 p.m. PT.