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OHL Flint Firebirds

Firebirds Edged by Knights in Game 2, 6-4

March 31, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


LONDON, Ont. - Oliver Peer scored twice, and Flint combined for three power-play goals, but the London Knights took the lead with just over two minutes to play in the third period and went on to beat the Firebirds, 6-4, in Game 2 on Sunday afternoon at Budweiser Gardens. The Knights took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

For the second consecutive game, London scored on its first shot. The Knights cycled the puck around the left corner, and William Nicholl carried it behind the Flint net and toward the right circle. He snapped a pass to Kasper Halttunen in the slot who connected for a one-timer that sailed over Nathan Day's shoulder and put London on top, 1-0.

The Birds then struck for their first goal of the series while on a power play near the halfway point of the opening period. Coulson Pitre burned down the right wing and into the attacking zone with an edge on his defender. He threw the puck toward the top of the crease, and it caromed off a Knight's skate and redirected through Michael Simpson, evening the score at one.

Two minutes later, with the Firebirds on another power play, Oliver Peer pinched in from the left point and skated the puck to the left faceoff dot. He snapped a wrist shot that deflected off a London stick, bounced off a Knight's skate and eventually found the back of the net, giving Flint its first lead of the series.

Then, less than a minute later, Nathan Aspinall sped down the left wing and fired a shot that Simpson kicked aside. London controlled the rebound but sent an errant pass to the middle of the ice that Peer knifed in a picked up. He sped toward the goal as Simpson attempted a lunging poke check. Peer evaded the stick and tucked a shot home as he tumbled to the ice to make the score 3-1.

The Knights answered just 29 seconds later though and cut their deficit to 3-2. Max McCue found Isaiah George all alone above the hash marks from the right corner. George launched a rising wrister through traffic that struck twine over Day's blocker arm, shrinking Flint's lead to one.

Halttunen netted his second of the afternoon on a London power play in the fourth minute of the middle frame. Denver Barkey was quarterbacking the man advantage from the center point. He fed Halttunen atop the left circle, and he stepped into a one-timer that sailed inside the near post and tied the game at three.

London reclaimed the lead past the halfway point of the second period with another power-play tally. Sam Dickinson fed Kaleb Lawrence at the right post with a defender on top of him. Lawrence muscled a pass across the blue paint to McCue who finished at the back door and gave the Knights a 4-3 lead.

Flint managed to tie the game again in the third period with its third power play goal of the game. With Aspinall camped in front of the net, Tristan Bertucci fired a shot from the center point. Aspinall got his stick on the shot which deflected past the screened Simpson and evened the score, 4-4.

With just over two minutes remaining and the Knights on a power play, London won an offensive zone draw and cycled the puck to Easton Cowan at the right-wing circle. He snapped it to Jacob Julian who then hit Oliver Bonk in the slot. Bonk cranked a one-timer high past Day's blocker and the Knights took the lead, 5-4.

Flint then pulled Day for an extra attacker and dialed up the pressure but was unable to mount any scoring chances. Eventually, a scrum at the left-wing half-boards resulted in a loose puck for Barkey. He launched it across both blue lines and into Flint's net, cementing a 6-4 London win.

Nathan Day finished with 33 saves, Peer had two goals and an assist and Aspinall scored what was his first career postseason goal. Flint fell behind in the best-of-seven series, 2-0, and will now return home for Games 3 and 4, beginning on Tuesday night with Game 3. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at the Dort Financial Center.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 31, 2024


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