Birds Bury Brampton, 5-3
January 25, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
Flint Firebirds' Alex Kostov
(Flint Firebirds, Credit: Todd Boone)
FLINT - Nathan Day made 26 saves on 29 shots, Alex Kostov had three points, and Chris Thibodeau scored twice as the Flint Firebirds got back in the win column, defeating Brampton 5-3 on Saturday night in Dort Financial Center.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Flint Firebirds had the Steelheads reeling early, scoring two goals in the first eight minutes of the game. The Steelheads intercepted Ubran Podrekar's pass but couldn't maintain control so Kostov flew in to scoop up the puck. He sent it right in front of the goal, where Kaden Pitre was waiting. Pitre fired a wrist shot sailing past Gillespie to put the Birds on top 1-0.
Two and a half minutes later, Kostov was right back in it. He whipped a pass from the faceoff circle to Connor Clattenburg, who was waiting at the blue line. Clattenburg fired the puck to Matthew Mania, who shot it into traffic in front of the net. Kostov found the puck and tipped it into the net for the score, making the lead 2-0.
Brampton matched Flint's first-period offensive attack with two back-to-back goals early in the second. Spencer Sova grabbed the puck and sent it to Luke Misa, who slipped past a defender and snuck it under Nathan Day's pads. Just moments later, MacGregor Richmond collected the puck and sent it around a defender to Porter Matone, who fed Kieran Witkowski. Staring down Day, Witowski took the shot, sending the puck clattering off the post and into the net to tie the game at 2-2.
The Firebirds didn't lose the lead for long, as Matthew Mania set up Sam McCue for a one-timer that was turned away. McCue gathered the rebound and sent it back to Mania. He fed Blake Smith along the blue line for a photo-worthy slapshot that slammed into the goal to put the Birds back up, 3-2.
Flint was buzzing as Thibodeau shot a pass to McCue that bounced off his skate. The puck settled just outside the blue area where Thibodeau swept it under a diving Gillepsie, bringing the score to 4-2.
The Steelheads didn't go down without a fight, as Carson Rehkopf scored on a power play early in the third period with a wrist shot that flew over Day's glove, cutting the lead to 4-3. But Thibodeau added an empty netter with less than a minute left in the game, sealing the win for the Firebirds, 5-3.
Flint improved to 19-22-2-2 with the win, while Brampton fell to 19-16-8-0.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Alex Kostov had a goal and two assists, matching a career-high of three points. He now has three multi-point games in his last five...Sam McCue had two assists... Matthew Mania had two assists and surpassed 100 points in his OHL career...Chris Thibodeau had his fourth two-goal game...
UP NEXT:
The Firebirds play in Windsor on Thursday night, taking on the West Division-leading Spitfires. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the WFCU Center.
Images from this story
 Flint Firebirds' Alex Kostov (Todd Boone) |
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