Brown Backstops Flint to First Preseason Win over Spitfires, 5-4
Published on September 10, 2023 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
FLINT, Mich. - The Flint Firebirds hosted the Windsor Spitfires for their lone home preseason game at Flint Iceland Arenas on Sunday afternoon. The Birds skated away with a 5-4 triumph in a chippy affair. Coulson Pitre netted two goals and added an assist to lead the home club, while Nolan Dann scored once and pitched in a pair of helpers. Windsor's Ryan Abraham (2 G, 1 A) led the offensive charge for the Spits. Jacob Brown saw his first OHL action between the pipes for the Firebirds, posting 26 saves on 30 shots. Joey Costanzo donned the pads for the first half of the contest for the visiting Spitfires and posted nine saves on 11 shots. Ian Michelone played the latter half of the game in the Windsor crease and finished with 15 stops on 18 shots faced.
The first period began with both teams creating an odd-man rush in the opening 45 seconds. The netminders settled in and made saves early. Then, Simon Slavicek thwarted a clearing attempt by the Spits in the high slot and had the time and space to settle the puck and bury a wrister low to the blocker side for his first of the year at 3:30 of the opening frame. Less than three minutes later, Nolan Dann rifled a tape-to-tape pass from along the left-wing half boards to Pitre at the inner edge of the right circle. He lifted a rising shot over Costanzo's left shoulder for his first marker, giving the Firebirds an early two-goal lead for the second time in as many nights.
Near the midway point of the first, Brown came out to the hash marks to challenge a shot from Windsor's Ryan Abraham. Brown turned it aside, but the rebound went directly to rookie Alec Stewart who converted for his first at 9:50. The contest was knotted up at a pair at 13:07 when a wide-angle shot from Abraham trickled between the wickets of Brown for the Livonia, Mich. native's second point of the game and second goal of the weekend.
Following an altercation in the Flint zone, the Spits won an offensive-zone draw and quickly claimed their first lead of the contest at 18:20. Lavigne won the faceoff back to overage centerman Jacob Maillet at the left point. His slapper struck twine over Brown's far shoulder for his first.
Windsor led 3 - 2 through the opening 20 minutes of play while outshooting the Firebirds 16 - 8. Neither team converted on special teams, with both sides finishing scoreless in one power-play chance.
With 13:29 to play in the middle frame, former Firebirds' goaltender Ian Michelone entered the contest in place of Costanzo. Shortly thereafter, Flint would tie the contest at three at the 15:47 mark. Newcomer Matthew Wang took a pass from Tristan Bertucci in the neutral zone and split defenders as he gained zone entry. He quickly dished the puck to Alex Bradshaw trailing to his left. Bradshaw's quick snap shot found the top corner over Michelone's left shoulder for his first of the preseason.
Late in the center stanza, Pitre carried around a defender from deep in the left-wing corner and slipped the puck through Michelone's five-hole for his second of the night at 18:20, assisted by Nolan Dann and Nathan Aspinall. The Birds held the 4 - 3 edge through 40 minutes. Second-period shots were 11 - 4 in Flint's favor, and the penalty-kill units stopped all three of Windsor's chances.
The game's first power-play goal tied the contest at four in the third period. It was Abraham with a deflection in front at 8:50, assisted by Trevor O'Dell and Tanner Winegard. The goal was Abraham's second of the evening and third of the preseason, coming on Windsor's seventh opportunity with the man advantage.
After an increase in physicality that should be expected with back-to-back meetings, the Firebirds broke the tie and regained the advantage with a power-play tally for Flint at 15:05. Nolan Dann scored it with a wicked wrister from atop the left circle. Bertucci and Coulson Pitre were credited with the helpers.
The final shots were 30 for Windsor and 29 for the Firebirds. Both clubs scored once on the power play, with the Spitfires having seven tries and Flint finishing with three. At the faceoff dots, the Birds outdrew the Spits 25 - 19.
Next Up: The Firebirds have two preseason contests remaining. The first will be played at the WFCU Centre in Windsor on Thursday, September 21 beginning at 7:05 p.m. (ET). The final exhibition tilt on the docket is versus the Sting in Sarnia on Friday, September 22, also with the puck drop set for 7:05 p.m. (ET) at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena.
2023-24 Season Memberships remain on sale! Memberships start as low as $408 for the full season. Benefits for full-season membership holders include FREE parking ($340 value), $102 of ticket savings for all of the 2023-24 season, (4) complimentary tickets to regular-season games in Saginaw, (2) buddy vouchers to bring a friend to any Firebirds' game, any game unused ticket redemption and an exclusive invitation to team and player events.
Single-game Tickets are on sale NOW! on Etix.com and at the Dort Financial Center Box Office. The box office is back to its regular scheduled business hours from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
Continue to follow @FlintFirebirds on all social media channels to learn more about team movement, ticket sales, promotions, giveaways, and MORE ahead of the 2023-24 season.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from September 10, 2023
- Kitchener's Offence Shines in Oshawa - Kitchener Rangers
- Brown Backstops Flint to First Preseason Win over Spitfires, 5-4 - Flint Firebirds
- Spitfires Fall 5-4 to Flint in Preseason Action - Windsor Spitfires
- Rangers Travel to Oshawa to Faceoff for the Second Time this Pre-Season - Kitchener Rangers
- Firebirds Host Lone Preseason Tilt Sunday Afternoon - Flint Firebirds
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