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OHL Flint Firebirds

Firebirds Defend Home Ice, Defeat Battalion 5-3

February 25, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


Flint, Mich. - The Firebirds picked up a big two points on home ice over the visiting Battalion on Saturday. Ethan Hay scored twice for the Birds, and both Coulson Pitre and Dmitry Kuzmin had a pair of assists. The goaltenders at both ends of the ice were listed on the NHL Central Scouting Midterm Rankings. Flint had Nathan Day between the pipes, who earned his 11th victory of the year with 31 saves on 34 shots. North Bay had Charlie Robertson don the pads, and he posted 26 saves in the effort.

The Firebirds' scored the first goal of the game in an unusual fashion. Defender Tyler Deline was outside the offensive zone along the left-wing boards. He won a battle with a defender and simply dumped the puck into the zone. Robertson put up his blocker to stop it but instead deflected it down where it trickled across the goal line behind him. Deline was credited with his sixth of the season, logged at 6:34.

The Battalion went on a power play shortly after the first goal, but the penalty killers and a few clutch saves from Day kept them out of the net. But, North Bay scored an even-strength tally at 10:33 to tie things up. Kyle Jackson carried through the neutral zone and fed Josh Bloom as he crossed the blue line. Bloom hit the gas and skated past his defender before making a late forehand-to-backhand move, eventually lifting the puck over Day's right pad into the far side of the net. Bloom's 26th of the campaign was assisted by Jackson and Paul Christopoulos.

The Birds answered with another tally at even strength. Dmitry Kuzmin crossed the blue stripe along the left-wing boards and chipped a pass off the wall around a defender. Coulson Pitre, playing in his 100th OHL game, picked up the pass and fed across the slot to Ethan Hay on the far side. Hay's short-range one-timer found paydirt at 13:28.

Flint held the 2-1 advantage after 20 minutes of play. North Bay held a slight edge in shots 13-12. Faceoffs were even at 11 per side. The Troops had the lone power play chance and were unable to convert.

North Bay took back-to-back penalties in the middle frame, giving the Birds 1:03 of 5-on-3 man-advantage. Head Coach Ted Dent utilized his lone timeout to put a plan in place and it worked. Tristan Bertucci sniped a wrister from the center point that went through traffic and found twine high glove side for his tenth of the campaign. Gavin Hayes and Zacharie Giroux combined for the assists on the power-play marker.

The Battalion came back with a flurry of shots on Day once they returned to full strength. He turned them aside with the poise of a veteran. Robertson posted several key saves when North Bay went shorthanded again. With 4:09 remaining on the second-period counter, a four-minute call for high sticking went against the Birds. Once again the penalty-kill unit played strong, holding the North Bay power play at bay.

Second-period shots were even at eight per side. Faceoffs were knotted at 20 each through 40 minutes. The Firebirds scored once on three tries against the OHL's top-ranked penalty killers while shutting down the Troops on two chances with the extra man.

Flint needed only 22 seconds of third-period play to light the lamp and extend their lead to 4-1. Nolan Dann passed from the bottom of the left circle across the top of the goal crease and to a waiting Alex Bradshaw for the back-door tap-in. The goal was Bradshaw's third, assisted by Dann and Simon Slavicek.

North Bay answered quickly, netting two goals in under two minutes. First, Owen Van Steensel drew the attention of both Flint defenders toward the right circle, then flipped the puck cross-ice to Kyle McDonald. The ensuing one-timer lit the lamp for McDonald's 26th of the season, with Van Steensel and Brayden Hislop picking up the assists at 3:36 of the third. Then Matvey Petrov found a loose puck in the left circle and spun while shooting, lifting the puck far-side past the glove of Day for his 25th of the year at 5:35. Jackson and Avery Winslow were credited with the helpers.

The Birds kept fighting, striking paydirt again at 6:31 to extend the lead to a pair again. Coulson Pitre was centered high above the circles and slapped a hard shot into traffic. Ethan Hay was in position to deflect the shot past Robertson from the crease for his second of the night and 15th of the season, assisted by Pitre and Kuzmin.

North Bay would call Robertson to the bench for an extra attacker with less than 90 seconds on the clock. Flint shot wide of the empty cage twice and the Battalion sent a few shots on Day that he was able to control. The final horn sounded and the Birds claimed the 5-3 triumph.

Total shots in the game totaled 34 for the visitors and 31 for the Firebirds. Faceoffs ended at 34-32, also to North Bay's advantage. On special teams, the Firebirds finished 1-for-5 on the power play while keeping the Troops scoreless in three tries.

Next Up: Sunday afternoon is the final game in the I-75 Divide Cup Series (Sponsored by Coors Light) as the Firebirds take on the Saginaw Spirit. The event is themed Princess & Superhero Family 'FUN'day! Get two FREE kids tickets, with every paid adult ticket available only at the Dort Financial Center Box Office. Everyone's favorite princess and superhero characters will be in attendance and kids are encouraged to dress up as their favorite characters as well. There will also be a costume parade held at the first intermission. The Dort Financial Center Box Office opens at Noon on Sunday.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2023


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