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OHL Flint Firebirds

Firebirds Fight Back But Fall Short in North Bay, 6-4

October 22, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


NORTH BAY, Ont. - The Flint Firebirds fell behind early and came up just short in their comeback efforts, dropping a 6-4 decision to the North Bay Battalion on Sunday afternoon at the North Bay Memorial Gardens. Anthony Romani's hat trick led the charge for the Battalion, ensuring Flint only earned four of the six possible points on the three-game road swing through the eastern conference.

The Troops struck first early in the first period when Dayln Wakely received a pass skate-to-stick as he gained the zone. He backhanded the puck over the blocker of Nathan Day for his fourth of the season, putting North Bay on top, 1-0. Then almost 14 minutes into the frame, Ethan Procysyzn passed across the high slot to Brice Cook on the left-wing side for a quick, low wrister that found twine. Cook's second of the season made the score 2-0.

Early in the second, the Battalion pushed their lead to 3-0 when Romani netted his first, a wrist shot that snuck through Day's short side.

The Firebirds countered exactly 46 seconds later as Coulson Pitre skated the puck over the blue line and snapped a wrist shot on net. It trickled through the pads of Dom Divencentis to put Flint on the board. Pitre's 50th career OHL goal pulled the Firebirds within two, cutting the lead to 3-1.

It remained 3-1 for the majority of the center stanza until Romani struck a one-timer from the left faceoff dot to extend the lead to 4-1. Then, with only 17 seconds remaining until the second intermission, as Simon Slavicek set up Gavin Hayes with a one-timer at the bottom of the right circle. He blasted a heavy shot that slipped in short side to make it 4-2.

The Birds then struck again in the opening seconds of the third period. They controlled the faceoff and found Hayes streaking into the attacking zone. He fed Zacharie Giroux on the back side for a shot that went top shelf and in, cutting the deficit to one.

That one-goal deficit was short-lived, however, as Romani completed the hat trick by completing a tic-tac-goal while on the power play six minutes later. Ty Nelson then hammered a nail in the coffin with a long-range slapper from just inside the blue line, extending the Troops' lead to 6-3 with ten minutes to go.

Tristan Bertucci scored his first of the season and the third shorthanded marker for the Firebirds in the final minute, but North Bay held on for the 6-4 home victory. Gavin Hayes (1 G, 1 A) and Simon Slavicek (2 A) each had a two-point afternoon, while North Bay saw multi-point performances from Dalyn Wakely (1 G, 3 A), Ty Nelson (1 G, 3 A), and Anthony Romani (3 G).

Flint outshot North Bay 27-23, but won only 19 of 57 faceoffs. Nathan Day ended with 17 saves on 23 shots. The Firebirds fell to 3-6-0-0 with the defeat and the Battalion improved to 5-3-1-1.

The Firebirds return to action on Wednesday night on the road against the Soo Greyhounds. Puck drop at the GFL Memorial Gardens is scheduled for 7:07 p.m.

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 22, 2023


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