LOVELAND, Colo. — Last season, the Colorado Eagles were just one game away from the Western Conference Finals. It boiled down to a Game Five loss to the eventual Calder Cup Champions against the Abbotsford Canucks (VAN). It would have been a stretch last season. This season, things were looking a little more optimistic. The Eagles were playing more unified hockey behind the AHL’s number one goaltender in Trent Miner. With a win on Wednesday night, the Eagles, with a 2–1 series lead, could head to their first ever AHL Western Conference Final.
First period
Coachella Valley came out to play some desperate hockey, and they played the part. During the opening frame, the better team on the ice was definitely the Firebirds. Colorado found no relief during five minutes of relentless pressure from them. Only 4:13 into the first period, the Firebirds charged into the Eagles’ zone. Jagger Firkus snapped a shot that rang off the post and out. The officials reviewed the shot and called it a goal to put the Firebirds up by one. In the second half of the first period, Colorado got their feet moving with chances from T.J. Hughes and Luke Toporowski.
THE CIRCUS HAS ARRIVED IN COLORADO
1-0 FIREBIRDS pic.twitter.com/EgU88Mge1V
— x – Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) May 21, 2026
Second period
Colorado needed to make adjustments in the middle frame if they wanted to clinch on Wednesday. Just over two minutes into the period, the Firebirds made Colorado pay for a mistake. They turned it over in their own zone and Coachella put in the back of the net for the two-goal lead. Four minutes later, Bryan Yoon threw a knuckle puck towards the net that found a way through.
BRYAN YOON!!!!! The Parker, Colorado native just gets the puck on net and it finds the back of the net for his first of the playoffs! Assisted by Tye Felhaber #Avs #GoAvsGo #EaglesCountry @HockeyMtnHighCO pic.twitter.com/mRXAASJYGL
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) May 21, 2026
A minute later, Oscar Fisker Mølgaard headed to the box for interference to give the Eagles their first opportunity on the power play. It did not take long for Colorado to convert as Tristen Nielsen nailed the one-timer to tie the game.
TRISTEN NIELSEN ON THE PP!!! Nielsen gets the tic-tac-toe pass from behind the net for the one timer and the tying goal on the power play! Assisted by T.J. Tynan (6), T.J. Hughes (3) #Avs #GoAvsGo #EaglesCountry@HockeyMtnHighCO pic.twitter.com/2dmJjM2IGt
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) May 21, 2026
Colorado continued to put the pressure on the Firebirds in the third as Sean Behrens brought the puck into their zone. Nielsen picked up the pass and sent a beautiful saucer pass over to Gavin Brindley for their first lead of the game.
GAVIN BRINDLEY!!!!!!! Brindley pinches in down the slot and taps the sauce from Tristen Nielsen for the finish and the lead! Secondary assist by Sean Behrens #Avs #GoAvsGo #EaglesCountry @HockeyMtnHighCO pic.twitter.com/3NZci6NXJQ
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) May 21, 2026
Third period
Throughout the final period, the Eagles pressured the Firebirds into mistake after mistake. Colorado played some fantastic north-south hockey to shut them down and come out victorious with a 3–2 win.
Takeaways
Colorado struggled to get their feet moving in the first period, but adjusted in the later periods. Once Yoon scored the goal, the team became a lot more relaxed, pushing the play to the Firebirds. The power-play goal by Nielsen was their first goal in three games, making them 1-for-9. But it was a key goal that gave the Eagles something to build on and regain the lead. Colorado now will have about a week to rest up and recover after taking their first ever AHL Division Finals series since joining the league in 2018.
Up next
The Eagles are on standby until Thursday night. They will wait to see who will come out of the Grad Rapids (DET) vs. Chicago (CAR) series with the win. Depending on who does will depend on if the Eagles will get home ice or not for the best-of-seven series.
