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OHL Flint Firebirds

Firebirds Dropped on New Year's Eve in London, 5-3

December 31, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


LONDON, Ont. - Coulson Pitre had a goal and two assists and the Flint Firebirds jumped out to an early 2-0 lead but the London Knights stormed back to take control and eventually beat the Firebirds, 5-3, on New Year's Eve at the Budweiser Gardens.

Flint struck first late in the first period when Pitre controlled the puck in the left wing corner and skated toward the crease. He snapped a pass through traffic to the back side where Matthew Jenken was crashing. Jenken steered the puck past Michael Simpson and the Firebirds snagged a 1-0 lead.

Later, in the final minute of the first with the Birds shorthanded, Pitre poked the puck loose and sprinted after it, creating a breakaway. He carried it into the attacking zone and fired a shot that Simpson stopped. The rebound squirted loose, however, and Pitre rammed it through the short side to extend the lead to 2-0.

London quickly answered though and got on the board with less than 10 seconds to play in the opening period. Denver Barkey sped into the attacking zone and carried the puck toward Nathan Day's net. As Day attempted a poke check, Barkey slid it between his legs and the Knights cut the deficit to one.

They tied the game with another power play tally in the second period. London cycled the puck around the attacking zone and Ruslan Gazizov threaded the needle with a pass to Jacob Julien on the back side. Julien one-timed a shot through Day's short side and it was 2-2.

Flint regained the lead with a power play goal of its own three and a half minutes later. Tristan Bertucci hit Pitre with a pass on the left post and he was swarmed by defenders. Pitre managed to ease the puck to the right circle where Nolan Dann grabbed it. He slung a wrist shot in on the short side and Flint jumped back ahead, 3-2.

The Knights evened the score again though with yet another power play marker. Sam Dickinson took a pass at the point and flicked a wrister low through traffic. It got through the screened Day inside the left post, evening the game at three. London then took the lead late in the second off an attacking zone faceoff. Julien won it clean back to Gazizov who snapped a shot high on Day's glove side. It sailed in just under the crossbar and the score was 4-3.

They added to that lead in the third when Jackson Edward carried the puck into the attacking zone and found a trailing Sam O'Reilly. He fired a wrist shot that went in high on Day's blocker side, pushing the score to its 5-3 final.

Pitre matched a season-high with three points and extended his point streak to seven games, Dann scored for the fourth time in his past five games and Day made 24 saves on 29 shots. The Firebirds dropped to 14-18-2-1 in the loss as London improved to 23-11-0-1.

Flint will return to action for the first time in 2024 on Wednesday night in Windsor against the Spitfires. Puck drop at the WFCU Centre is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2023


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