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OHL Flint Firebirds

Birds Settle for One Point in OT Loss to Soo, 6-5

October 28, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


FLINT, Mich. - Braden Kressler scored to force overtime in the third period but Kiril Kudryavtsev netted the game-winner as the Soo Greyhounds outlasted the Flint Firebirds in overtime, 6-5, on Saturday night at the Dort Financial Center.

Flint jumped out to an early lead with three goals in the opening period. It started when Coulson Pitre and Nolan Dann went give-and-go as they gained the zone. Dann saucered a pass to Pitre who was cutting to the back door and he chipped it past a lunging Landon Miller to put the Firebirds on the board.

Less than a minute later, Nathan Aspinall sent a tape-to-tape stretch pass to Jeremy Martin who was streaking down the right wing. He fired a wrist shot top shelf and in, extending the lead to 2-0.

The Firebirds added to that lead near the halfway point of the period with a power play strike. Kressler fed Zacharie Giroux who wired a shot on net that Gavin Hayes got a piece of on its way in. The puck deflected high past Miller and Flint's lead was 3-0.

That would be it for Miller who was pulled in favor of Charlie Schenkel after allowing three goals on 11 shots.

Soo got itself on the board in the second period when Brenden Sirizzotti looked off the defense and snuck a wrist shot through Jacob Brown's short side. It then cut the deficit to one with a power play tally as Arttu Karki was set up for a one-timer from the bottom of the right circle. He blasted it top shelf to make the score 3-2. The Greyhounds then tied the game when Brodie McConnell-Barker poked a puck through Brown's legs for his first OHL goal.

Flint answered and regained the lead on Martin's second goal of the night. Jimmy Lombardi forced a turnover and sent the puck toward the front of the net where Martin grabbed it. He flicked a backhander on net that snuck through Schenkel, putting Flint back on top, 4-3.

The Greyhounds responded though and scored twice in the final minute of the second period. First, Jordan D'Intino drew a penalty on a breakaway and was granted a penalty shot. He walked in, deked to his backhand and roofed the shot past Brown to tie the game at four. Then, Christopher Brown hit Karki on the right wing and he sniped a shot short side on the upper corner with just 1.3 seconds on the clock to make it 5-4.

In the third, with less than five minutes remaining, Kressler won a faceoff back to Tristan Bertucci and charged to the front of the net. Bertucci took a shot that Kressler deflected up and over Schenkel's shoulder, evening the score at five to force overtime.

Just over a minute into OT, Kudryavtsev took the puck at center ice and charged into the attacking zone. He moved the puck from his backhand to his forehand and sent a wrist shot top shelf and in for the game-winning goal.

Martin scored twice and now has five goals in four games against Soo this season, Kressler had a goal and an assist and Lombardi finished with two assists. The Firebirds settled for one point with the overtime loss and moved to 4-6-1-0 while Soo improved to 9-5-0-0 with the win.

Flint will continue its weekend at home on Sunday afternoon with a continuation of the Coors Light I-75 Divide Cup against the Saginaw Spirit. It's Sunday Family Funday and fans can receive two free kids tickets with the purchase of one adult ticket. It's also trick-or-treat at the rink and fans are encouraged to wear costumes for pregame trick-or-treating around the concourse. Puck drop is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. at the Dort Financial Center.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 28, 2023


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