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Flint Firebirds

Preview: Firebirds Travel to Barrie for Thursday Night Battle

October 22, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


The Flint Firebirds (5-3-0-1) travel to Barrie, Ont. for a Thursday night battle with the Barrie Colts (5-4-0-0). The Colts currently lead the central division with 10 points in nine games played and are second in the Eastern Conference.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (ET) Thursday night at the Barrie Molson Centre (capacity 4,195).

Radio & TV Coverage

Fans unable to attend the games this weekend can listen live in Flint and Mid-Michigan on 1330 AM WTRX Sports Radio and worldwide online on the iHeartRadio App here. Dominic Hennig is calling the play-by-play action all season long on the Flint Firebirds Hockey Radio Network. Pregame coverage will begin at 7 p.m.

Thursday's game against the Colts will be televised live on Rogers TV channel 10 in Barrie and across the province of Ontario on Rogers channel 439 on the OHL Action Pak. OHL fans with Rogers Cable in Ontario can add the OHL Action Pak to their television plan to catch the Firebirds in action, home or away all season long. Along with Thursday night's game, 64 of the Firebirds' 68 games throughout the 2015-16 season are also scheduled to be televised live across the province of Ontario on the OHL Action Pack.

All Flint Firebirds home and away games throughout the 2015-16 season can be watched anywhere in the world online on OHL Live and on the OHL Live App. OHL Live is a league video streaming platform that delivers high quality live and on-demand coverage of all regular season and playoff games annually. The cost is $6.99 per game, $69.99 for Flint Firebirds away games only, $179.99 for all 68 home and away Firebirds games and $279.99 for all 1,360 OHL games throughout the 2015-16 season.

Players to Watch:

Flint:

The Firebirds are lead up front in scoring by Will Bitten, who is eligible to be selected in the 2016 NHL Draft in June, with six goals and eight assists for fourteen points in nine games played this season. Vili Saarijärvi (Detroit '15) has two goals and twelve assists in as many games played and leads all OHL defenseman in points and is currently tied for fourth most points among all skaters.

Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic (Carolina '14) has a 2-0 record with a .903 save percentage and a 2.91 goals against average while Kyle Keyser has a 1-0 record and a .947 save percentage including a 1.71 goals against average.

There are five players on the Flint Firebirds roster that are drafted in the National Hockey League. Alex Nedeljkovic and Josh Wesley were both selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2014 NHL Draft. In the same draft, the New Jersey Devils nabbed Connor Chatham while Alex Peters was chosen by the Dallas Stars. Most recently, Vili Saarijärvi was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings this past June in the 2015 NHL Draft. In addition, Flint Firebirds players Håkon Nilsen, Nicholas Caamano, MatyᚠKantner, Will Bitten, and Jacob Collins are draft eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo.

Barrie:

The Barrie Colts enter the contest Thursday night with a (5-4-0-0) record. Justin Scott leads the Colts in scoring with two goals and eight assist totaling ten points in nine games this season.

Andrew Mangiapane follows Scott with nine points in nine games netting four goals and five assists. Barrie's netminder Mackenzie Blackwood is third in the OHL this season with a goals against average of 1.86 in eight games played.

The Barrie Colts saw Rasmus Andersson (Calgary), Mackenzie Blackwood (New Jersey), Ben Harpur (Ottawa), Kevin Labanc (San Jose), Brendan Lemieux (Winnipeg), Andrew Mangiapane (Calgary), Julius Nattinen (Anaheim), Roy Radke (Chicago) and Justin Scott (Chicago) skate in NHL Training Camps this fall.

Special Teams

The Firebirds' power-play is 9th out of 20 teams in the OHL converting at a 20% success-rate scoring seven goals on 35 opportunities. On the penalty-kill, the Firebirds are 11th out of 20 teams in the league operating at 82%. Flint has scored one shorthanded goal and has successfully killed 27 of 33 penalties this season. Flint is averaging the 13th fewest penalty minutes per game with an 11 PIM/GM average.

Two Firebirds Selected to Play in CHL Canada Russia Series

The Ontario Hockey League in association with the Canadian Hockey League, the Owen Sound Attack and the Windsor Spitfires hockey clubs announced on Wednesday the Team OHL rosters for the 2015 CHL Canada Russia Series.

Flint's Will Bitten and Alex Peters (Dallas '14) were among the 36 players that will represent the OHL in the 2015 CHL Canada Russia Series. The two will suit up for Team OHL on Monday, November 16 at the WFCU Centre in Windsor, Ontario and the game will be televised nationally across Canada on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

Flint Completes Trades with Soo & Sudbury

Flint Firebirds General Manager Terry Christensen announced Wednesday that the club has completed trades with both the Sudbury Wolves and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Former Firebirds' goaltender Zack Bowman was traded to the Sudbury Wolves and Bryce Yetman was traded to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. The Firebirds roster is now comprised of 12 forwards, 8 defenseman and 2 goaltenders for a total of 22 players.

Next Home Game

The Firebirds will return home to the Dort Federal Event Center Saturday, Oct. 31 against the Owen Sound Attack. Puck drop is scheduled for 2 p.m. in the only matinée home game of the season. Special Halloween festivities are scheduled including trick-or-treating throughout the arena, a costume contest and costume parade in the first intermission, a Scooby Doo Bounce House and other fun promotions during the game.

There were 10 players from the Owen Sound roster that attended NHL Training Camps in September consisting of Chris Bigras (Colorado), Liam Dunda (St. Louis), Jack Flinn (Los Angeles), Jaden Lindo (Pittsburgh), Michael McNiven (Montreal), Jarett Meyer (Detroit), Zach Nastasiuk (Detroit), Kyle Platzer (Edmonton), Thomas Schemitsch (Florida), and Damir Sharipzyanov (Los Angeles).

Tickets are $12 for bronze, $15 for silver and $19 for corporate/gold seating and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com here, by visiting the Dort Federal Event Center Box Office Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. or by phone at (810) 744-0580.

Successful "Pink Out" Game

Friday, Sept. 16 was another one for the history books as the Flint Firebirds rallied for seven goals in the inaugural "Pink Out" game at the Dort Federal Event Center in front of more than 3,400 fans. Ottawa's five-game winning-streak was snapped after the Firebirds' 7-4 victory on home ice.

After the game, a custom painted "Pink Out" game mask worn by Firebirds goaltender' Alex Nedeljkovic and special game worn pink jerseys were auctioned off to raise money for the McLaren Foundation to raise awareness for the fight against breast cancer.

Season Tickets

Great season seat locations are still available! For more information, call the Dort Federal Event Center Box Office at (810) 744-0580 or email Grizz Houghten at grizz@flintfirebirds.com or Shane Stout at shane@flintfirebirds.com.

Group Ticket Packages

New group ticket packages are available for your needs. Whether you're entertaining corporate clients, celebrating a special occasion, having a fun night out with the family and friends or rewarding employees...we have a fun, easy and affordable plan for you. It's more than a ticket, it's an experience! Contact Shane Stout to book your group outing today: (810) 742-2004 or via email at shane@flintfirebirds.com.

Flint Firebirds Hockey Radio Coach's Show

Join the Voice of the Firebirds Dominic Hennig and Head Coach John Gruden from 6-7 p.m. every Tuesday night on 1330 WTRX Sports Radio and around the world online on the iHeartRadio App here. Hennig and Gruden recap the previous week of events, preview the upcoming games on the ice and take your phone calls, emails and tweets! Tune in each Tuesday from 6-7 p.m. on 1330 AM WTRX Sports Radio.

Firebirds Gear

Stop by the Flint Firebirds Merchandise Store at the Dort Federal Event Center, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. to stock up on the best Firebirds' gear around. Jerseys, shirts, hats, hoodies, game pucks, mouse pads and other accessories and collectables are available at the Flint Firebirds Merchandise Store.

Social Media

Stay connected with the Flint Firebirds 24-7-365. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Vine, YouTube, etc. Find all of the Firebirds social media handles online at flintfirebirds.com/socialmedia

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics

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