Coachella Valley is a win away from repeating as Western Conference champions after a 5-2 win over Milwaukee on Tuesday night.
The Firebirds own a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with Game 4 set for Thursday at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena.
Cale Fleury began the scoring 31 seconds into Game 3 – the second game in a row in which Coachella Valley struck in the opening minute – and Ryker Evans and Ryan Winterton tacked on goals to give the Firebirds a 3-0 lead at the first intermission.
Max McCormick scored his fifth goal of the playoffs 1:34 into the second, and Chris Driedger did the rest with a 31-save effort to lead the Firebirds to their ninth consecutive victory.
Marc Del Gaizo and Fedor Svechkov scored the Milwaukee goals in Game 3. Troy Grosenick finished with 20 saves.
(Coachella Valley leads series, 3-0)
Game 1 – Wed., May 29 – COACHELLA VALLEY 2, Milwaukee 1
Game 2 – Fri., May 31 – COACHELLA VALLEY 3, Milwaukee 1
Game 3 – Tue., June 4 – Coachella Valley 5, MILWAUKEE 2
Game 4 – Thu., June 6 – Coachella Valley at Milwaukee, 8:00
*Game 5 – Sat., June 8 – Coachella Valley at Milwaukee, 7:00
*Game 6 – Mon., June 10 – Milwaukee at Coachella Valley, 10:00
*Game 7 – Wed., June 12 – Milwaukee at Coachella Valley, 10:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern