Seattle introduced to Coachella Valley Firebirds, in franchise's first "home" game

Maile Zahand made her way from her home in Issaquah, Washington, to Kraken Community Iceplex in Seattle on Friday to catch the Coachella Valley Firebirds in action. She knew many of the players by name and even made a sign that she held up in support of Firebirds goalkeeper Joey Daccord.

Zahand didn't follow professional hockey until the Seattle Kraken began playing in the NHL last year, and on Friday with her kids, she wore a Firebirds' hat and jersey in support of the Kraken's American Hockey League affiliate. She now calls herself a "hockey mom."

"We just love to watch hockey," said Zahand, 46. "And being Kraken fans, a lot of us in Seattle are following the Firebirds."

Zahand was among a crowd of more than 500 that crowded into the year-old Kraken Community Iceplex, the NHL team's headquarters, on Friday afternoon as the puck dropped in what will go down as the Coachella Valley Firebirds’ first official “home” game against the Abbotsford Canucks, in Seattle.

Friday’s game, which was a private event for investors, sponsors and select season tickets holders, marked the first time in team history that the Firebirds have hosted a game. The Firebirds won their first two games of the season on the road at the Calgary Wranglers on Oct. 16 and 17.

Following a scoreless first period, the Firebirds took the lead in the second before allowing a pair of power play goals and ultimately falling, 4-3, for their first loss as an organization.

Alexander True scored the first and third goals for the Firebirds and Jesper Froden scored the second. The team is now 2-1 on the season.

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"The energy in the building was great," Firebirds head coach Dan Bylsma said. "It's a small building, it's got a tin roof, so any noise is a loud noise in here. It was kind of an old-time barn feeling, having fans in here cheering in our direction. There was a ton of energy."

The Firebirds will host their first game in the Coachella Valley at the newly built half-billion-dollar Acrisure Arena on Dec. 18 versus the Tucson Roadrunners. The Firebirds, the 32nd and newest franchise in the American Hockey League, are scheduled to play their first 22 games away from their home arena.

Daccord, the Firebirds goalie, said that there's an excitement among players to get to the Coachella Valley and begin playing in front of local Firebirds' fans.

"While we're trying to do our best to stay focused on the task at hand, taking things one game at a time," Daccord said, "I think it's all in the back of our minds that we're going to be in a pretty incredible place and have a pretty incredible opportunity. While we're focusing on the now, it's definitely in the back of our minds."

Friday's crowd, decked out in Firebirds hats, jerseys, shirts and hoodies, attended a pre-game meal of shrimp, oysters, salad, pizza and wings at 32 Bar & Grill, the restaurant that overlooks the main rink at Kraken Community Iceplex.

Fuego, the Firebirds' mascot, and Buoy, the Kraken mascot, also were present to hang out with and entertain the crowd.

Following that event, much of the crowd made its way down a staircase and onto bleachers where Tod Leiweke, the president of the Kraken, and his brother, Tim Leiweke, the principal owner of the Firebirds along with the Kraken, walked onto a red carpet to the middle of the ice and spoke a few words.

“Tonight is another step in our journey,” Tod Leiweke said. “Just you wait until this team is in the most spectacular arena in the Coachella Valley.”

Tim Leiweke, who brought his grandson onto the ice, then addressed the crowd.

“On Dec. 14, we’ll have our first concert,” Leiweke said. “Then, four days later, we’ll have our first Firebirds game. We’re very excited.”

Both Leiwekes then joined the crowd in the bleachers for the game. Tim Leiweke sat with his grandson, the oldest child of Leiweke’s daughter, Francesca, and her husband, Troy Bodie, the director of hockey operations for the Firebirds. Tod Leiweke sat with NFL linebacker Bobby Wagner of the Los Angeles Rams, a Kraken investor. The Rams are on a bye this week.

The game against Abbotsford is the first of four home games the Firebirds are hosting in Washington. The second, on Sunday, is also against Abbotsford and will be held at Climate Pledge Arena in downtown Seattle. The third will be on Oct. 28 against Calgary at Angel of The Winds Arena in Everett — about 25 miles north of Seattle. The fourth game in Washington, also versus Calgary, is slated for Kraken Community Iceplex on Oct. 29.

The next two games are open to the public and the last game in Washington is another private event for sponsors, investors and season ticket holders.

Zahand, whose children play in the Jr Kraken Youth Hockey Association, said that she'll be at all three of the Firebirds' remaining games in Washington. She said she is also among several women who are a part of the Ladies of the Kraken organization who plan to book flights to Palm Springs this winter to watch the Firebirds play.

She said that she's among the many in Seattle who caught "hockey fever" and she's confident that the same will happen for many in the Coachella Valley.

"Once people go to one game," she said, "they'll be hooked. Hockey is so much more fun in person than on TV.

"People down there are going to love it. It's fun!"

Andrew John covers sports for The Desert Sun and the USA Today Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com and find him on Twitter at @Andrew_L_John.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Seattle introduced to AHL's Firebirds in first "home" game