Birds Charge Past Attack, 5-4

January 18, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release

OWEN SOUND, Ont. - The Flint Firebirds erased a 4-2 deficit with three unanswered goals and went on to beat the Owen Sound Attack, 5-4, on Saturday night at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre. Matthew Mania had a goal and two assists and Nathan Aspinall scored the eventual game-winning goal in the third period.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

With Flint trailing, 4-2 in the second period, Mania carried the puck into the attacking zone and charged toward the net. Mania deked to his backhand and flipped a shot that Carter George got a piece of. The puck bounced over his shoulder though and into the net to bring the Firebirds within one.

The Firebirds then tied the game in the final minutes of the second period. Chris Thibodeau carried the puck from his own zone and into the attacking end. He swooped below the net, spun and fired a shot past George on the short side to tie the game at four.

In the third, with the Firebirds on the power play, Mania took the puck at the point and fed Aspinall at the right circle. He waited a beat and loaded up a wrist shot that got through George low and Flint took a lead they would never relinquish, 5-4.

Flint struck first in the first period on a Sam McCue shorthanded breakaway goal. The Attack then answered with goals from Easton Mikus and Cole Zurawski. Urban Podrekar then tied it for the Birds late in the second.

Owen Sound grabbed its 4-2 lead thanks to a pair of Jake Crawford goals in the first minute and a half of the second period.

The Firebirds improved to 18-21-2-2 in the win while Owen Sound fell to 13-24-2-3.

POSTGAME NOTES:

Sam McCue scored in his first game against the Attack, who traded him to Flint on January 8...Matthew Mania now has two three-point games in his last three games...Chris Thibodeau had a goal and an assist for the second consecutive game...Evan Konyen now has two goals and five assists in his last four games.

UP NEXT:

The Firebirds will head north to take on the Soo Greyhounds on Friday night in Sault Ste. Marie. Puck drop at the GFL Memorial Gardens is scheduled for 7:07 p.m.

Owen Sound Attack's James Petrovski and Flint Firebirds' Sam McCue on game night (Sam Buschbeck)

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 18, 2025

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