Gouging Fire should be good at prerelease---its attack con is always active, OKHOing most cards in that format. The attack cost is the only thing that might hold it back.
Based on the wording in the baby Palafin's ability, my guess is that the ability returns the baby Palafin to your hand, then you shuffle your deck. As long as you have switches in your hand, you could then keep cycling a single baby Palafin over multiple Finizens, "evolving" them all into...
It works as a stall counter, just not a very good one. Pidgeot V's ability can activate the moment after you bench it, whereas Abra needs to get to the Active Spot turn after turn to be effective. It'd work if you run free retreat 'mons tho...