Coachella Valley Firebirds' mascot Fuego with a fan.
PHOTO BY MIKE ZITEK, COURTESY COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS
Don your brightest shade of orange and scrawl “We Love Fuego” across a piece of posterboard. The Coachella Valley Firebirds are back!
The minor league hockey team (whose mascot is Fuego the firebird) debuted in 2022. With Acrisure Arena still in development at the start of the season, the team kicked things off in Seattle, home to their NHL counterpart, the Seattle Kraken.
A 4-to-3 win Dec. 18 during the Firebirds’ first official home game at Acrisure Arena set the expectations high, and the team continued to dominate. The new kids on the AHL block made it to the final round of the Calder Cup Playoffs, breaking attendance records and pushing the end game into overtime, ultimately accepting defeat to the formidable Hershey Bears of Pennsylvania.
You need not be a hockey fan to attend a game, but going to one might convert you.
Dress warm, plan for a little traffic, and purchase a parking pass in advance or when you park. A variety of food and drink vendors at the arena include local staples Brandini Toffee, CV BBQ, and Fisherman’s Market & Grill — give yourself ample time to explore the options before the game begins.