OHL Owen Sound Attack

Attack Complete Comeback to Down Firebirds

Published on February 13, 2016 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Owen Sound Attack News Release


Nick Suzuki came up big for the Owen Sound Attack for the 2nd straight game, and this time his two goal effort would lead the Bears to a 5-4 win over the Flint Firebirds.

Suzuki's two goals on Saturday, Feb. 13, including the game winner, would help lift the Attack over Flint in a game that saw Owen Sound trail by a pair of goals twice, including late in the 3rd period.

Much like Friday night's game in Sault Ste. Marie, the opening period of play saw neither team generate anything when it came to scoring.

The Firebirds would have the better chances in the frame, but Owen Sound netminder Daniel Dekoning stood tall on all nine shots he faced in the first 20 minutes, sending the teams to the 2nd period with a couple of donuts on the scoreboard.

When the middle stanza began though, the Attack seemed to have a little bit of jump in their step and it paid off quickly.

Bryson Cianfrone would open the scoring by blasting his 13th goal of the year over the outstretched glove of Flint's Kyle Keyser just 1:32 into the frame. Tyler MacArthur and Markus Phillips picked up the helpers on the play, after they found a streaking Cianfrone who unleashed his shot from the top of the left circle.

Cianfrone would almost double the lead just moments later after being sprung on a partial break, but Flint's Keyser was up to the task, keeping it just 1-0 for the Attack early in the 2nd period.

The Firebirds would eventually tie it up, though it wouldn't come until after the period was more than halfway done.

Connor Sills would get Flint's opening goal, a powerplay marker at 12:31 of the frame, after the puck took a weird hop off of the side boards and squirted into the middle of the Attack zone. Gabriel Vilardi would pick up the loose biscuit and feed Sillsw ho used the backhand to tie the game up at 1.

Flint would then double their lead with 4:07 left in the 2nd after Cullen Mercer was sprung on a break away and eluded a stranded Daniel Dekoning en route to making it 2-1 for the home side.

That 2-1 advantage would turn into a 3-1 lead in short order thanks to Flint's 2nd powerplay goal of the game, a wicked wrister by Will Bitten with 17:17 gone in the frame.

Owen Sound would push hard to respond though, and a too many men penalty by the Firebirds with under a minute to play in the 2nd period sent the Baywest Nissan Powerplay Unit to work.

But the hockey gods weren't on the side of the Attack, at least for the time being.

With just 17 seconds remaining, Owen Sound would have not one, but two goals waived off by the referees, including a near buzzer beater on a slapshot by Petrus Palmu.

Despite trailing 3-1 after two, the Attack would take the momentum from their late period push into the final period of action.

And just like previous 20, the Attack used an early jump to start the 3rd period to make a mark on the scoreboard.

With just 1:58 having elapsed in the 3rd, Nick Suzuki went streaking down the right hand side and fired a low screaming shot on the Firebirds' net. That shot would bound off of the stick of Kyle Keyser and up under the cross bar, cutting Flint's lead to one and making it 3-2. Thomas Schemitsch would grab the line assist on Suzuki's goal, the rookies' 16th of the year.

The game's next goal would come six minutes later, and while it would be Flint's Ryan Moore scoring to make it a 4-2 lead for the Firebirds, the game's 6th goal would spark a barrage of tallies.

Just 12 seconds after the Firebirds restored their two goal advantage, Jacob Busch would make it 4-3 by ripping his 5th of the year past Kyle Keyser from the circle to the left of the Flint goalie. Josh Sterk and Santino Centorame would grab the assist on Owen Sound's 3rd goal, which was followed by the game tying goal just 1:14 later.

Jonah Gadjovich would score the tying goal for the Attack, picking up his 11th of the season on snapshot the went five-hole to make it a 4-4 game. Tyler MacArthur and Nick Suzuki both picked up their 2nd point of the evening with assists on the play.

The torrid scoring pace would cool off as the teams would trade chances to no avail until there were less than four minutes left in the game.

With 14:48 gone in the 3rd, Flint's Will Bitten would be whistled for kneeing and the Attack's poweprlay unit would take the ice looking to take the lead for the first time since the game's opening goal.

And that's exactly what they did.

Picking up his 2nd goal of the evening would be Nick Suzuki who was able to find the back of the net off of a rebound with 3:38 left on the clock. Petrus Palmu and Santino Centorame earned the helpers on the Baywest Nissan Powerplay goal which cemented the score and allowed the Attack to skate away with a 5-4 win.

Suzuki's two goal game earned him Mac Taylor Corporation 1st Star while Tyler MacArthur was named 3rd star of the evening thanks to his pair of assists. Flint's Ryan Moore was named 2nd star of the game for his efforts.

The Mark McDade Remax Shots on Goal finished at 36-35 for the Firebirds as Daniel Dekoning turned aside 32 shots on the evening.

The Attack will now have a day off before resuming their road trip on Monday, Jan. 15 for a Family Day matinee at 2:05pm in Oshawa.

Fans can catch that game against the Generals live on Rogers Local 53 or by tuning into Kia of Owen Sound Terry's Trailer Service Bear Radio on 560 CFOS.

Check out the Owen Sound Attack Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 13, 2016


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