Firebirds Fall Short, Drop Final Game in Erie 5-3
March 5, 2022 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
Erie, Penn. - The Flint Firebirds and Erie Otters met for the eleventh time this season Saturday night, the sixth and final meeting at Erie Insurance arena during the regular season. The contest saw the Otters defeat the Firebirds for the first time on home ice this season, 5-3. Luke Cavallin got the start in net for Flint and stopped 29 of 34 shots and it was Nolan Lalonde stopping 20 of 23 for the Otters.
The Firebirds kicked things off with a bang. An arrant clear from the Otters found the stick of James Mayotte at the high point who let it fly that found its way to the back of the net through a good screen in front. It was unassisted and made it 1-0 Flint just 2:23 into the game.
The ice began to tilt from there and on the power play, Spencer Sova let fly it fly in the high slot and beat Cavallin up high on the blocker. Saganiuk and Terrance picked up the assists on the tying goal at the 11:16 mark of the opening frame.
The 1st Period ended with all the momentum in favor of the Otters despite shots remaining tied at eight. Erie outdrew Flint 10-8 and went 1-for-1 on the only man-advantage of the opening frame.
Erie continued to up the pressure to start the 2nd and it paid off. 2:54 into the frame a shot came in from Colby Saganiuk that led to a scramble in front. Spencer Sova pinched into the near-side post and buried his seventh of the year to give the Otters a 2-1 lead.
Less than a minute later, the Otters found themselves ahead 3-1. Sedore hit Sova through center ice who skated into the Firebirds zone. His shot went off the pad of Cavallin and right to the stick of Lucas Ross who put home his third goal of the year at the 3:46 mark of the period.
Flint finally had an answer. Amadeus Lombardi stole the puck at the Firebirds' blue line and sent it up ice for a developing 2-on-1 with Riley Piercey and Brennan Othmann. Cameron Morton took away the pass cross-ice to Othmann, which left Piercey plenty of room in the near circle to snap it home upstairs for his 26th of the year at the 10:12 mark of the 2nd.
The Birds ended up with a double-minor powerplay after Noah Sedore high-sticked Othmann. Then the Otters took a delay-of-game penalty giving Flint a full 2:00 5-on-3, but they were stifled by the Otters penalty kill led by Lalonde in net.
Both goaltenders finished the final minutes of the period with some of their best saves of the year and plays where they slid from the far post to near post to deny a goal. Erie ended up outshooting Flint 19-6 in the 2nd, but the Birds outdrew the Otters 18-14. Each team went 0-fer on the man-advantage in the middle stanza.
The Otters took the two-goal lead back 31 seconds into the third when Christian Kyrou skated into the Firebirds zone, sent a shot in on net that just beat Cavallin high to the blocker to make it 4-2. Flint had the answer less than two minutes later when a bad pass in the Erie zone found its way to the stick of Tag Bertuzzi alone between the circles. He buried it high glove side for his 13th of the year, extending his point streak to five games just 2:13 into the 3rd.
The Firebirds' last-ditch effort to tie things up was all for not. Despite outshooting Erie 9-7 in the 3rd, a good passing player from Cameron Morton and Carey Terrance found Brett Bressette, again high in the slot, who beat Cavallin making it 5-3 11:53 into the final frame. Despite pulling Cavallin with just over three minutes to go, the Firebirds were unable to find pay dirt and dropped their first game in Erie this year.
Erie went 1-for-2 with the man-advantage, with Flint going for 0-for-3. The Otters outshot the 'Birds 34-23 and Flint outdrew Erie 38-37.
Next Up: The Firebirds continue to defend the OHL's best road record with two more away games before returning home. They'll travel to Guelph Sunday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. (ET) and then London on Friday at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, March 12, the Birds will return to home ice to host the Guelph Storm for a 7:00 p.m. battle. The game is themed Teacher Appreciation Night, Sponsored by PFCU. All education professionals with a valid school ID will receive a complimentary ticket to the game, available at the Dort Financial Center Box Office only. Additional tickets are on sale NOW here: ETIX.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 5, 2022
- Spirit Unable to Solve Chenard, Attack in 5-0 Defeat - Saginaw Spirit
- Spitfires Defeat the Soo 7-3 - Windsor Spitfires
- Firebirds Fall Short, Drop Final Game in Erie 5-3 - Flint Firebirds
- Emotional Night of Hockey Ends with Erie's First Home-Win against Flint, 5-3 - Erie Otters
- First-Place Firebirds Seek Club-High 21st Road Victory Tonight in Erie - Flint Firebirds
- Spirit Wrap up Road Trip on Saturday in Owen Sound - Saginaw Spirit
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