Firebirds Beaten in Saginaw, 7-5 Win over Firebirds
November 13, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
Flint Firebirds right wing Alex Kostov with the puck
(Flint Firebirds, Credit: Todd Boone)
FLINT - Matthew Wang had his first two-goal game in the OHL and Jimmy Lombardi had a pair of assists but the Saginaw Spirit rode five goals from Joey Willis to a 7-5 win over the Flint Firebirds on Wednesday night at the Dort Financial Center.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Flint struck first less than two minutes into the first period when Lombardi fed Wang for a snap shot on the back side. The Firebirds added to that lead later in the first after Blake Smith fired a wrist shot top shelf and past Andrew Oke to make the score 2-0.
The Spirit then got on the board when Sebastien Gervais hit Carson Harmer on the back door for a tap in that beat Nathan Day. Flint quickly responded as Connor Clattenburg fired a pass through a seam that Kaden Pitre redirected past Oke. Saginaw managed to answer again though when Michael Misa stripped Day of the puck behind the net and tucked it home, cutting the deficit to 3-2.
Early in the second, with Flint shorthanded, Smith sprung Chris Thibodeau for a breakaway. He carried the puck in, fired and beat Oke on the glove side. But Saginaw answered as Willis took a pass in tight, waited Day out and flipped the puck over the Birds goaltender. The Spirit then tied the score with a power play goal after Misa's shot was blocked and Willis poked the puck home to make it 4-4.
The Firebirds took the lead back though with Wang's second goal of the game. Lombardi danced through the defense, worked to the back side and fired a pass to Wang who guided it home, giving the Birds a 5-4 edge.
But Saginaw responded again as Willis fired a shot home from the right circle. He then buried a one-timer that game the Spirit their first lead. Finally, Willis cashed in with an empty-net goal, his fifth of the game, that pushed the score to 7-5. Flint fell to 7-11-0-1 in the loss while Saginaw improved to 11-7-1-0.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Matthew Wang recorded his first career two-goal game...Kaden Pitre set a season-high with three points on one goal and two assists...Blake Smith had a goal and an assist and has goals in three of his last four games. His four goals on the season are a new career high.
UP NEXT:
The Firebirds will be on the road on Friday night in Sault Ste. Marie to take on the Soo Greyhounds. Puck drop at GFL Memorial Gardens is scheduled for 7:07 p.m.
Images from this story
 Flint Firebirds right wing Alex Kostov with the puck (Todd Boone) |
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