Firebirds Host Frontenacs on Saturday Night in Flint
March 9, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
FLINT, Mich. - The Firebirds remain in a tight race for playoff positioning with only seven games remaining in the regular season. Currently seeded eighth, Flint is only two points behind Owen Sound in seventh, three points back of Erie in sixth, and four points behind Guelph in the fifth spot. Kingston sits seventh in the Eastern Conference, 14 points behind sixth and five points ahead of the eighth-place Barrie Colts. The Birds final push begins tonight. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Dort Financial Center.
LAST TIME OUT: The Firebirds jumped out to a 2-1 lead in the first period on Friday night in Kitchener but the Rangers responded with five consecutive goals to take command and eventually beat the Firebirds, 9-5, at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. Nolan Dann recorded his first career OHL hat trick and chipped in an assist for his second four-point game in his last four outings. Coulson Pitre had three assists to earn his team-leading sixth three-point game of the season and Connor Clattenburg extended his point streak to five games with a third-period goal.
SERIES HISTORY: Saturday is the second and final meeting between these clubs and is the lone contest scheduled at the Dort Financial Center. The Birds rallied to tie the first matchup with the Fronts in the third period back on December 3, but Gabriel Frasca sealed the 4-3 overtime victory for the home team at Leon's Centre with his first marker of the season. The Firebirds hold a mark of 4-8-1-0 in the all-time series with Kingston but have gone 1-5-0-0 on home ice.
SCOUTING THE FRONTENACS: (28-30-3-0, 4th East Division) -
Chicago Blackhawks prospect Paul Ludwinski has amassed 60 points (19 G, 41 A) in only 53 games to top the Fronts in scoring. Sophomore forward Jacob Battaglia ranks second with 58 total points and leads the squad with 30 goals in the campaign. Charleston, SC native Christopher Thibodeau is third with 15 goals and 38 helpers for 53 points.
Second-year netminder Mason Vaccari has appeared in 53 contests this season, which is the second-most in the OHL. He's credited with 23 wins and carries a goals-against average of 3.71 with an .877 save percentage. Rookie JJ Alajko hails from Columbus, OH, and has four wins through 11 appearances. His GAA sits at 4.77 and his SV% is .824. Kyle Downey has played in four games for Kingston this year, earning one win with a 2.80 GAA and an .859 SV%.
Kington has the fifth-ranked power play in the league, scoring on 23.3% of their opportunities for the year. Their penalty kill is shutting down the opposition 79.0% of the time which ranks tenth.
SCOUTING THE FIREBIRDS: (27-30-3-1, 3rd West Division):
Oliver Peer's 70 points (32 G, 38 A) lead Flint on the scoresheet for the season. Fellow overager Nolan Dann is closing in at a fast clip, now with 27 goals and 34 assists for 61 points. Coulson Pitre is third with 53 points, stemming from 26 tallies and 27 helpers.
Nathan Day has 23 wins through 50 appearances this season. His goals-against average is now 3.82 and his save percentage sits at .866. Jacob Brown has four wins through 15 appearances and he carries a 4.15 GAA with an .858 SV%.
The Firebirds are 16th on the power play, converting at a 17.3% pace. The penalty kill is 14th at a 78.3% rate of success.
ODDS & ENDS: Flint has a record of 5-2-2-0 versus opponents from the East Division this season... After tonight's contest, the Firebirds will have six games remaining. Four of the six are home games and four of the six are against the teams ranked in the bottom half of the Western Conference... Peer and Alex Kostov are currently tied for the fifth-most shorthanded tallies in the OHL this season with four apiece.
PROMOTIONS: The game against the Frontenacs on Saturday is S.T.E.A.M. Night, with relevant activities around the concourse focused on the S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) initiative. With their most recent report card, all students who've received an 'A' in Art, Math, or Science are eligible to receive a FREE ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket at the Box Office window.
BROADCAST COVERAGE: This evening's game against the Kingston Frontenacs can be heard live on the radio throughout Flint & Mid Michigan on US 103.1 FM, online at www.us103.com, or by downloading the US 103 app. Brian Gardner will call the play-by-play action on the Firebirds Hockey Network starting with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m.
All of the Flint Firebirds home and away games throughout the 2023-24 season can be watched anywhere in the world online at https://watch.chl.ca/ohl.
COMING UP: The Birds are back on home ice Wednesday to host the Soo Greyhounds. The contest is another Buy One, Get One FREE Wednesday. Fans can purchase any ticket and get another ticket of equal or lesser value for FREE. It's also another double redemption option for season ticket holders to redeem any unused season membership tickets (at Dort Financial Center Box Office only). Puck drop for Wednesday's contest is set for 7:00 p.m. and tickets are available now from ETIX.com.
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Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 9, 2024
- Bertucci, Firebirds Drop Kingston in Overtime, 2-1 - Flint Firebirds
- Spitfires Fall to Soo 5-2, Eliminated from Playoff Contention - Windsor Spitfires
- Saginaw Sets New Win Record With Shutout Win Over Guelph - Saginaw Spirit
- McIntyre Scores First Career Hat Trick as Petes Beat IceDogs at Home - Peterborough Petes
- Late Erie Goal Earns Team Point in OT Loss - Erie Otters
- London Takes Season Series in 4-1 Win - Kitchener Rangers
- Firebirds Host Frontenacs on Saturday Night in Flint - Flint Firebirds
- Game Preview: Rangers Look to Even Series against Knights in the Campaign Finale - Kitchener Rangers
- Spirit Chase Win Record Saturday Night against Guelph - Saginaw Spirit
- Bulldogs' Valiant Comeback Falls Just Short In Loss To Gens - Brantford Bulldogs
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