Firebirds Fall Short to Sudbury, 6-5
Published on February 21, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
FLINT - The Firebirds fell short, 6-5, in overtime to the Sudbury Wolves after erasing a 4-0 deficit on Saturday night at the Dort Financial Center. Kevin He scored in his 10th consecutive game, while three Firebirds recorded multi-point games.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Sudbury pounced on Flint in the first period. The Wolves opened with a power play goal from Adam Nemec on a deflection in front. Chase Coughlan and Vladimir Provorov scored, along with Nemec's second of the period, to propel Sudbury to a 4-0 lead after the opening frame.
The Firebirds turned things around in the second. Charlie Murata entered the attacking zone and snapped a wrist shot past Bjorn Bronas. Murata beat Bronas past the glove on the short side for Flint's opening goal. The Birds added another when Kevin He found Chris Thibodeau cutting towards the net. Thibodeau pushed the puck by Bronas to make the score 4-2. Flint notched another goal in the second period just before the intermission. Nathan Aspinall carried the puck into the Sudbury zone and centered a pass to Brady Smith for a tap-in goal.
Flint carried the momentum into the third period. Off a faceoff, the Wolves turned the puck over below their goal line. Thibodeau scooped up the loose puck and located a wide-open Jimmy Lombardi to tie the score at 4-4. The Firebirds took their first lead of the game while shorthanded. Urban Podrekar cleared the puck out of the Flint zone. Kevin He jumped on it, skated in, and ripped the puck past the glove of Bronas.
With 90 seconds left in regulation, Daniel Berehowsky leveled the score at 5-5. Sudbury capitalized on a scramble in front of the goal, and Berehowsky popped the puck home to force overtime. In the extra frame, the Wolves finished the contest with a power play goal. Nemec made the pass across to Jan Chovan for a one-time past Mason Vaccari.
With the loss, the Firebirds fell to 37-14-4-2 on the season, and Sudbury improved to 23-31-2-0.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Kevin He extended his goal streak to 10 games, the longest in the OHL this season, and in Franchise history... Chris Thibodeau recorded a goal and an assist. He now has multiple points in four consecutive games and nine total this season... Urban Podrekar extended his point streak to five games. It's his longest streak of the year, and Podrekar has 8 points in this stretch.
UP NEXT:
The Firebirds are back on the ice on Sunday as they battle the Windsor Spitfires in Windsor. Puck drop from the WFCU Centre is set for 4:05 p.m.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 21, 2026
- Attack Snap Losing Streak with a Commanding 5-0 Win over Steelheads - Owen Sound Attack
- Firebirds Fall Short to Sudbury, 6-5 - Flint Firebirds
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- Harmer Scores Two Late, Spirit Rally Falls Short against Sarnia - Saginaw Spirit
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- Schouten Scores Third as Otters Fall to Rangers Behind Edwards' Three-Point Night - Erie Otters
- Minchak Stops 43, Frontenacs Lose 4-3 in Overtime - Kingston Frontenacs
- Barrie Colts Dominate London Knights with 5-1 Win - Barrie Colts
- Game Day - February 21 - GUE at SOO - Guelph Storm
- Spitfires Fall to Rangers 3-0 - Windsor Spitfires
- Game Preview: Kitchener Rangers at Erie Otters - February 21st, 2026 - Kitchener Rangers
- Game Preview: Saginaw Spirit vs Sarnia Sting - Saginaw Spirit
- Kingston Chasing Down the IceDogs in Huge Saturday Clash - Kingston Frontenacs
- Game Day, Game 57, Firebirds vs Wolves - 7 p.m. - Flint Firebirds
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