Long Beach Bombers’ Race to the 2024-2025 USPHL Pacific Division Playoffs

As of January 22, 2025, the Long Beach Bombers look to be out of the race to the playoffs, however, this does not dismiss their performance during the regular season. The team is in eight place of the USPHL Pacific Division standings with 18 points and a season record of 8-23-2-0. Out of their 8 wins, they were able to secure two overtime victories. 

The Long Beach Bombers currently have a 19.44% power play success rate and a decent 74.01% penalty killing success rate. Their top scorers are #14 Jackson Litzinger who currently has 46 points and #28 Christopher Porciuncula who currently has 41 points recorded in the regular season. Magnus Lowham and Christopher Porciuncula both have three hat-tricks recorded during the regular season so far. 

In regards to goaltending, four out five of their goaltenders have been active during the season. The stats include: Liam Gacek securing a win and a 0.920 SV% during the Las Vegas Showcase; Stepan Vedernikov securing 1 win out of 16 games and a 0.871 SV%; Ludovic Dagenais securing 4 wins in 11 games and 0.882 SV%; and Ethan Fitzgerald securing 2 wins out of 10 games and a 0.836 SV%. 

Looking at what is left of the regular season, the Long Beach Bombers have 13 games left in the regular season which consists of: 

• A two-game series against the San Diego Sabers (5th place, 36 PTS, 18-14-0-0) on January 25, 2025 and the Ventura Vikings on January 26, 2025.

  • Previous meetings this season: 

    • SDS have won four out of 5 games against LBB (4-1)

  • Prediction: 

    • SDS will likely sweep LBB as they have outshot LBB (128 SOG vs. 118 SOG) and have found more success on their power play attempts (36.8% PP vs. 12.5% PP). This game may come down to who can capitalize on the power play and goaltending. 

• A three-game series against the Henderson Force (4th place, 45 PTS, 22-10-0-1) on January 31- February 2, 2025 

  • Previous meetings this season: HNF have won both games against LBB (2-0)

  • Prediction: HNF will sweep LBB in this three-game series as they have in previous games by outscoring them (82 SOG vs 68 SOG) and remaining solid on their penalty kill (100%) against LBB. 

• A game against the Bakersfield Roughnecks  (6th place, 29 PTS, 13-18-1-2) on February 8, 2025

  • Previous meetings this season: 

    • BKR has won four out of five games against LBB (4-1) 

  • Prediction: 

    • BKR will likely sweep LBB depending on puck possession and goaltending as they have outshot (239 SOG vs 149 SOG), outscored (28 G vs. 14 G) and have found more success on the power play )27.8% PP vs. 14.3% PP) in their previous games this season.

• A three-game series against Fresno Monsters (3rd place, 46 PTS, 23-8-0-0) on February 14-16, 2025

  • Previous meetings this season: FRM have won all 3 games against LBB (3-0)

  • Prediction: FRM will sweep LBB in this three-game series as they have in previous games (105 SOG vs 50 SOG), remarkable goal scoring (19 G vs 2 G), and stellar penalty kill (100%) against LBB. 

• A two-game series against the Ventura Vikings (7th place, 23 PTS, 10-22-2-1) on February 21, 2025 and Ontario Jr. Reign (2nd place, 47 PTS, 23-9-1-0) on February 22, 2025. 

  • Previous meetings this season: 

    • VNV and LBB are evenly split against one another (2-2)

    • OJR have won four out of five games against LBB (4-1)

  • Prediction: 

    • Previous games between VNV and LBB have been fairly close in regards to total goals scored (21 G for VNV and 18 G for LBB), however, LBB has outshot VNV (137 SOG vs. 106 SOG) and had more successful power play outcomes (50% PP vs. 23.1% PP). Overall, it will come down to who can take advantage of their scoring opportunities and on the man advantage.

    • OJR will likely sweep LBB as they not only outshoot LBB during the regular season (255 SOG vs. 146 SOG) but have also recorded more goals compared to LBB (25 G vs 14 G). 

• A two-game series against the Henderson Force (4th place, 45 PTS, 22-10-0-1) on February 27, 2025 and Colorado Fighting Elk (6th place, 13 PTS, 6-19-1-0) on March 1, 2025. 

  • Previous meetings this season: 

    • HNF have won both games against LBB (2-0)

    • LBB and ELK have not faced one another

  • Prediction: 

    • HNF will sweep LBB in this three-game series as they have in previous games by outscoring them (82 SOG vs 68 SOG) and remaining solid on their penalty kill (100%) against LBB.

    • Prediction: LBB may sweep ELK based on season record and their power play success rates as ELK currently has a 13.71% PP success rate and LBB has a 19.44% PP success rate. However, ELK does have a slight advantage on the PK as they have a 77.78% PK success rate which is slightly higher compared to LBB’s 74.01% PK success rate. 

As acknowledged in Summary of the Race to the Playoffs, the Long Beach Bombers (18 PTS) will not be able to secure a spot in the playoffs even if the odds go in their favor. For example, if the Long Beach Bombers were able to sweep the rest of the season and the division remained at a standstill, the Long Beach Bombers would still be unable to secure the fourth place spot which would ultimately eliminate them from the playoffs. Their efforts and memorable moments from the regular season are commendable and they do have a chance to close the season with a couple wins to end the season on a high note.