Birds Charge Back, Dump North Bay, 6-3
Published on January 18, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
Flint Firebirds on the ice
(Flint Firebirds, Credit: Tom Martineau)
NORTH BAY, Ont. - The Flint Firebirds fell behind 3-0 but stormed back with six unanswered goals to beat the North Bay Battalion, 6-3, on Sunday afternoon at the Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens. Both Kevin He and Nathan Aspinall had a goal and three assists to help propel Flint to the win.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
With the Firebirds trailing 3-0 in the second period, Aspinall teed up He for a one-timer from the right circle. The Jack Lisson made the save but the rebound bounced to Darels Uljanskis on the back side. He sent a shot past Lisson and Flint was on the board.
The Firebirds got another less than two minutes later after Darian Anderson hit Urban Podrekar at the top of the left circle. Podrekar flipped a wrist shot low past Lisson to cut the Battalion lead to one. Flint then tied the game when He sped into the attacking zone and carried the puck below the net. He hit a trailing Aspinall at the top of the crease for a shot that got through Lisson, evening the score at three.
It remained tied until the final two minutes of the second period when Luka Graziano held in a clearing attempt along the right wing boards. Graziano fed Aspinall who darted a cross-ice pass to He at the left circle. He gathered the puck and darted a wrist shot through Lisson's short side to give the Firebirds their first lead of the game.
Flint kept it rolling in the third period as He took a pass below the goal line and hit Jimmy Lombardi in the slot. He slung a shot high past Lisson to extend the lead to 5-3. Alex Kostov later added an empty-netter in the last minute to push the score to its 6-3 final.
The Battalion took their 3-0 lead in the first period with goals from Ethan Procyszyn, Lirim Amidovski and Nick Wellenreiter. Flint improved to 30-11-2-2 with its win while North Bay fell to 23-17-2-0.
POSTGAME NOTES:
The Firebirds became the first team in the Western Conference to reach 30 wins...Nathan Aspinall became the first player to reach 60 points and extended his league lead with four points for a total of 62 on the season...Kevin He has points in six straight games and now has five goals and nine assists in nine games since being acquired by the Firebirds.
UP NEXT:
Flint will begin a home-and-home with the Windsor Spitfires on Friday night in Windsor. Puck drop at the WFCU Centre is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Images from this story
 Flint Firebirds on the ice (Tom Martineau) |
Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 18, 2026
- Generals Snap Losing Streak on Hockey Fights Cancer Night - Oshawa Generals
- Birds Charge Back, Dump North Bay, 6-3 - Flint Firebirds
- Colts over Power Attack 5-1 on Sunday Afternoon - Owen Sound Attack
- Johnston Stops 41 in Road Loss to Ottawa - Peterborough Petes
- Sam O'Reilly Scores Late to Power Rangers to Fourth Straight Victory - Kitchener Rangers
- Bulldogs Comeback in Niagara Falls Short in Overtime - Brantford Bulldogs
- Rangers Close out Weekend against Highway 7 Rivals - Kitchener Rangers
- Game Day, Game 45, Firebirds at Battalion - Flint Firebirds
- Generals Host Steelheads on Hockey Fights Cancer Night - Oshawa Generals
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