Firebirds Fall to Spirit, 6-3
Published on November 22, 2023 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
FLINT, Mich. - Blake Smith scored his first goal of the year and first as a member of the Flint Firebirds and Simon Slavicek extended his point streak to 11 games with two assists, but a five-goal first period by the visiting Saginaw Spirit was too much to rebound from as the Firebirds fell to the Spirit, 6-3, on Wednesday night at the Dort Financial Center.
The clubs traded goals early in the contest, starting with Saginaw's newly acquired defenseman Rodwin Dionicio. Matyas Sapovaliv, a Vegas Golden Knights prospect, fed Dionicio in the high slot and he found room to charge between the circles before snapping the puck high past the glove of Nathan Day for an early 1-0 lead.
Flint answered three minutes later as Slavicek circled on the right wing boards and hit Smith with a cross-ice pass. Smith fired a wrist shot from the left circle that snuck through Andrew Oke on the short side. His first goal of the season tied the game, 1-1.
The Spirit would go on to log three more goals across the next nine minutes of action. First, Dionicio converted again, this time on the power play from just inside the point through traffic. Then Hunter Haight had a shot blocked but snagged his own rebound off the defenseman's leg. He slipped the second chance through Day to push the lead to two.
Saginaw extended its lead again with nearly eight minutes to play in the first on another power-play marker. Zayne Parekh slapped the first attempt on goal from the high slot and Day kicked it out to his left, where Michael Misa was alone. He chipped the rebound home from the right circle and the score was 4-1.
In the final seconds of the busy opening frame, Parekh fired a shot that went wide to the left of the Flint cage. A lively bounce off the kick plate put the puck back in the goal crease where it deflected off Day's right skate and across the goal line for a 5-1 Spirit lead.
The teams played a scoreless middle frame but Saginaw regained momentum to start the third period. Calem Mangone shot from point-blank range, Day made the save, Sapovaliv shot from the inner edge of the left circle and Day made the save again. Finally, Mangone tipped the second rebound past the goalie's left pad for the 6-1 edge just 35 seconds into period three.
Flint got one back with just over six minutes remaining while skating with a power play. Coulson Pitre slapped a shot from the right point that Jeremy Martin got a piece of. Oke made the initial save but Martin reached out and muscled the rebound across the goal line. His sixth goal of his rookie season cut the deficit to 6-2.
The Birds would strike pay dirt again with another late power play goal. In tic-tac-goal fashion, Zacharie Giroux passed from the right wing half wall to Slavicek perched to Oke's left. Without hesitation, Slavicek flicked a puck to Gavin Hayes streaking between the circles and the Chicago Blackhawks prospect one-timed it over Oke's left shoulder to cut the deficit to 6-3.
Hayes' goal was his team-leading 15th of the season, Slavicek had two assists to extend his point streak to 11 games and Day made 12 saves on 18 shots. With the loss, Flint dropped to 1-3-0-0 in the I-75 Divide Cup series and 10-10-1-1 on the season. Saginaw improved to 12-7-0-1 with its win.
The Firebirds will be back in action on Saturday night against the Niagara IceDogs. It's Teddy Bear Toss night and all fans are encouraged to bring a stuffed animal to the game to be thrown onto the ice following the first Flint goal. All stuffed animals will be collected and donated to local charities. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Dort Financial Center.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 22, 2023
- Firebirds Fall to Spirit, 6-3 - Flint Firebirds
- Spirit Bump Win Streak to Eight Games with 6-3 Win in Flint - Saginaw Spirit
- IceDogs Week in Review - Niagara IceDogs
- Attack and Cancer Society Raise $64,000 for Hockey Fights Cancer Night - Owen Sound Attack
- Two Chances to Watch Spirit Rising on WNEM TV5 - Saginaw Spirit
- Local Goaltender Jaeden Nelson Commits to 67's - Ottawa 67's
- Firebirds Host Spirit in Game 4 of I-75 Divide Cup - Flint Firebirds
- Spirit Head to Flint for Thanksgiving Eve Showdown - Saginaw Spirit
- Two Hat Tricks as Kitchener Thumps Erie - Kitchener Rangers
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