PALM DESERT, Calif. (Interstat) — The Coachella Valley Firebirds will host the Henderson Silver Knights in minor-league hockey Friday, with both teams looking to build momentum in the early portion of the season. Henderson enters at 5-3, while Coachella Valley is 3-7.

Henderson has won four of its first eight games and is coming off a 4-1 home victory over Ontario. Lukas Cormier is the player to watch for the Silver Knights. Cormier scored twice on three shots in that win over Ontario, and he also had three shots on goal in a 2-1 overtime win against Tucson earlier this season. He recorded one shot on goal in a loss to Tucson. Cormier has seven shots on goal across his past three appearances. Alexander Holtz added a goal and an assist with three shots in Henderson’s latest win, while Joe Fleming scored once on two shots.

Coachella Valley will counter with Jagger Firkus, who has been among the Firebirds’ most involved forwards. Firkus scored on one of his two shots in a 5-1 loss to Tucson in the Firebirds’ latest game. He also recorded four shots on goal in a loss to San Jose, an assist at Abbotsford and a two-goal, two-assist, two-shot performance at Ontario earlier this season. Firkus has points in four of his past six games. He also recorded two penalty minutes in a game against Ontario. Kaden Hammell had an assist and three shots in the Tucson loss, and J.R. Avon added an assist and one shot.

The teams have met once this season, with Henderson winning 4-0. Coachella Valley will try to reverse that result on home ice. Henderson also has wins over Ontario, Tucson and Bakersfield this season, while the Silver Knights have losses to Tucson, San Diego and Bakersfield. Coachella Valley has wins over San Diego and Ontario, and the Firebirds have losses to Tucson, San Jose, Abbotsford, Henderson and Ontario. Coachella Valley scored six goals in a 6-3 win over San Diego and six goals in a 6-2 win at Ontario. Henderson’s upcoming schedule includes games against San Diego, Calgary, San Jose, Bakersfield, Ontario and Abbotsford. Coachella Valley’s upcoming slate includes Colorado, Tucson, San Jose, Abbotsford, Calgary, Ontario, Bakersfield and San Jose. Neither team has announced lineup changes for Friday.

Interstat’s game simulator projects Coachella Valley 3, Henderson 2. Interstat’s ELO system gives Coachella Valley a 50.9 percent probability to win. Coachella Valley is the pregame favorite with a spread of -0.5, and the over/under is 5.5.