Firebirds Drop Finale to In-State Rival, 5-4
March 26, 2022 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
Flint, Mich. - The Flint Firebirds and Saginaw Spirit met for the 15th and final time this year with the I-75 Divide Cup (presented by Coors Light) already possessed by Flint for winning the season series. The visiting Spirit ended things with a 5-4 win at the Dort Financial Center on Saturday night. Luke Cavallin got the start in net for Flint stopping 21 of 26 and Shelby Township, Mich. native Andrew Oke got the call for the Spirit denying 27 of 31.
The opening frame saw a slow start with both teams getting familiar with one another again. It was the visitors who struck first with Matyas Sapovaliv picking up his 16th of the year on a breakaway that he finished forehand-backhand upstairs. PJ Forgione and Brayden Hislop added the assists at the 15:17 mark of the 1st Period.
The opening 20 minutes concluded with Saginaw leading 1-0. Both teams went 0-for-1 on the man-advantage, saw shots even at 10 apiece and face-offs deadlocked at seven.
It took exactly two minutes to start the 2nd Period before the Spirit found paydirt once again. Calem Mangone carried the puck around the net and left a no-look pass on the nearside post. Sebastian Gervais cleaned things up into an open net for his ninth of the year. Nick Wong added the secondary assist.
Finally, Flint got one passed Oke. While short-handed, Tristan Bertucci sprung Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers) on a breakaway and the Firebirds captain went five-hole for his franchise-record 41st on the year. It was Othmann's fourth shorthanded goal of the year, tying the Firebirds franchise record for shorthanded goals in a season, at 7:18 of the 2nd.
Saginaw had the answer just over five minutes later. Mitchell Smith corralled a loose puck at the blue line, danced his way into the slot and ripped one over top of Cavallin's blocker to make it 3-1. Dalton Duhart and Matyas Sapovaliv added the assists on the goal that came at the 13:28 mark of the 2nd.
Flint was ready with the answer once again. A Tag Bertuzzi shot ricocheted to the corner, Samuel Assinewai picked up and sent a pass out in front to James Petrovski who crashed down from the point to bury his third of the season. The goal game 14:13 into the 2nd. The Firebirds then tied things up 3:12 later when Tag Bertuzzi let a shot go from the high circles. Amadeus Lombardi crashed the net and with Oke sliding to his left, Lombardi picked up the rebound and put it to the net-minders right for his 17th goal of the season. Luca D'Amato picked up the secondary assist.
The 2nd Period saw Flint outshoot Saginaw 12-8, but the Spirit outdrew the Firebirds 10-5.
The game remained tied at three through the first 10:23 of the 3rd. Saginaw broke the tie when Sebastian Gervais sent a pass up the far wall to a streaking Calem Mangone. He entered the Firebirds blue-line and sent a pass into the slot that was batted out of mid-air by Nick Wong for his 18th of the season.
Flint was again ready with an answer. Just 43 seconds later Brennan Othmann sprung Amadeus Lombardi into the Spirit zone. He circled the net, came out the near side and found an oncoming Ethan Keppen (Vancouver Canucks) between the circles who tied things up at four. It was Keppen's 20th of the season and the 76th of his career, breaking a tie for 2nd all-time in Firebirds history with former teammate Jake Durham.
With 4:46 remaining in the game, a good passing play from Mitchell Smith and PJ Forgione found Luke McNamara cutting towards the net. He made a move around a Firebirds defender and quickly slipped one under the glove of Cavallin to give the Spirit a 5-4 edge which they would hang on to.
Flint outshot Saginaw 31-26 but was outdrawn 28-23. The Spirit went 0-for-5 with the man-advantage while the Birds went 0-for-3.
Next Up: The Firebirds head to Kitchener for a 2 p.m. matinee tilt with Rangers on Sunday before returning home Wednesday to host the London Knights. Puck drop for a potential Conference-deciding match is set for 7:00 p.m. (ET) at the Dort Financial Center, and tickets are available from ETIX.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 26, 2022
- Spirit Take Two of Three on Road Swing; Beat Firebirds 5-4 - Saginaw Spirit
- Firebirds Drop Finale to In-State Rival, 5-4 - Flint Firebirds
- IceDogs Fall to a Pair to North Bay - Niagara IceDogs
- Spitfires Comeback and Win 5-3 over the Soo - Windsor Spitfires
- Campbell Shines in Season Debut, Otters Down Storm 4-1 - Erie Otters
- Rangers Topple Knights in Overtime - Kitchener Rangers
- Firebirds Set to Host Rival Spirit for the Final Time Saturday - Flint Firebirds
- Spirit Wrap up Season Series with Firebirds Saturday in Flint - Saginaw Spirit
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