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OHL Flint Firebirds

Day's 41 Saves Leads Firebirds To 4-1 Win Over Windsor

March 3, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


Flint, Mich. - Nathan Day had a phenomenal outing between the pipes for the Firebirds Friday evening, making 41 saves on 42 shots for his fifth consecutive win in net. Westland, Mich. native Gavin Hayes was first to light the lamp in the contest and he added a helper, extending his current point streak to 12 games (5 G, 13 A). Amadeus Lombardi scored the next two, hitting his 39th and 40th of the campaign plus earning an assist. Riley Piercey picked up a trio of assists, the first of which was the 100th of his OHL career. Overager Mathias Onuska got the start in net for Windsor, posting 27 saves in the outing.

The teams traded a pair of power-play chances near the midway point of the opening frame. The defense was the only highlight to come out of either opportunity though, with most shots getting blocked by a player sacrificing their body. It would be the Firebirds to light the lamp first with an even-strength marker at 15:20. Riley Piercey tried to lift a wrister on goal from the left circle but it deflected off a defender's shin pad across the slot. The loose puck found Gavin Hayes in the right circle, and he was able to settle it and quickly snap it past Onuska to the glove side for his 29th of the season. Amadeus Lombardi picked up the second helper on the tally.

Period one came to a close with the Birds on top 1-0. Shots were 17 for Flint to seven for Windsor. Faceoffs 14-10 to the Spits' advantage. The Firebirds went scoreless on one power-play situation while holding Windsor scoreless on two chances.

Amadeus Lombardi extended Flint's advantage to a pair at the 0:29 mark of the middle frame, as he sniped the top corner to the blocker side from above the right hash marks. Gavin Hayes and Riley Piercey combined for the assists, which was career assist 100 for Piercey.

The Spitfires controlled the tempo for the next several minutes of the contest, testing Nathan Day with quality scoring opportunities. Day stood tall, preserving the lead with the poise and confidence of a veteran goaltender. Back-to-back minor penalties against the Birds overlapped just beyond the midway point of the center stanza, giving the visitors a lengthy power play with a brief 5-on-3 advantage. The Firebirds continued to block shots and Day was solid whenever one slipped past his troops.

The score remained 2-0 through 40 minutes, with Flint holding a combined 27-21 edge after two periods. Faceoffs stood at 10-8 in favor of the home squad in period two.

Early in the third, Coulson Pitre collected a loose puck at the outer edge of the right circle and skated toward the net. He attempted to slip a pass across the slot, but it deflected off a skate and was headed between the hash marks. Riley Piercey tipped it back toward the crease, where Lombardi gathered it, spun 180 degrees, and slipped it between the wickets for his second of the night and 40th of the season at 3:38.

The Spits called Onuska to the bench during 4-on-4 play with over four minutes remaining in the third period. With the fifth attacker, they scored their first of the night at 17:13. Rodwin Dionicio fired from the center point position, finding twine high to the glove side for the 11th of the season. The assists were credited to Matthew Maggio and Jacob Maillet.

Onuska returned to the bench after the Spits won control of the next draw, and play remained in the Birds' zone for over a minute. When Flint finally escaped with the puck through center ice, Windsor took a tripping penalty to prevent an empty-net shot. Being shorthanded forced the visitors to leave the goaltender in place, and Flint maintained possession until tempers boiled over in the final 40 seconds. Windsor won the draw again after some penalties were assessed, but Marko Stojkov potted an insurance marker with 16 seconds remaining to give Flint the 4-1 triumph.

Final shots ended 42-31 to Windsor's advantage, and they also won more of the faceoffs by a 31-27 margin. The teams combined for ten total power plays, but the Birds ended scoreless on four while successfully killing off six.

Next Up: Saturday the Firebirds welcome the Guelph Storm in a HUGE matchup for playoff positioning as the Firebirds sit just two points back of the Storm. It will be Teacher Appreciation Night sponsored by Sovita Credit Union & the Michigan Educational Association and supported by Genesee Educational Consultant Services! All educational professionals can receive a FREE ticket to the game with a valid work ID or badge at the Dort Financial Center Box Office any time prior to puck drop while supplies last! The Dort Financial Center Box Office opens at Noon on Saturday.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 3, 2023


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