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OHL Flint Firebirds

Firebirds Host Greyhounds as Playoff Clinch Nears

March 13, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


FLINT, Mich. - With just six games remaining in the regular season the Firebirds enter play on Wednesday with a chance to clinch a playoff spot. Flint's magic number is three, any combination of three points picked up by the Firebirds or possible points lost by the Sarnia Sting would put Flint in the postseason. A win on Wednesday over the Soo Greyhounds combined with a Sarnia Sting loss against the Mississauga Steelheads would do the trick for Flint, who is set to face Soo twice in the final six games. The Hounds look poised and ready for a playoff run, currently locked in the third postseason position in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, Flint is in the eighth and final playoff spot in the Conference but only four points out of fifth. Puck drop on Wednesday night is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Dort Financial Center.

LAST TIME OUT: The Birds hosted the Kingston Frontenacs Saturday and the tight-fought battle was tied at 1-1 after 60 minutes of play. Coulson Pitre netted the goal for Flint in regulation, his 27th of the season. Nathan Day made 29 saves on 30 shots in regulation and was untested in the overtime. Defenseman Tristan Bertucci slid home the game-winner 2:01 into the extra five-minute frame.

SERIES HISTORY: Wednesday is the fifth of six regular-season meetings between these clubs this season and the third of three at the Dort Financial Center. The Firebirds traveled to Sault Ste. Marie on opening night back in September and suffered an 11-3 defeat. Nine days later the Hounds came to Flint and won again, this time 7-3. Then these squads met for a home-and-home series in late October and the Birds earned points in both with a 6-3 road victory and a 6-5 overtime loss at home. After Wednesday night, the sixth and final matchup will be at the GFL Memorial Gardens on March 22. Flint's all-time record versus the Soo stands at 21-20-2-2 with a mark of 10-10-2-1 at home in the series.

SCOUTING THE GREYHOUNDS: (42-16-3-1, 2nd West Division) -

Jack Beck leads Soo in scoring with 80 points, stemming from 24 goals and 56 assists. He currently rides a six-game point streak with four goals and seven helpers in that span. Former Firebird Gavin Hayes has the most goals on the club (36) and is second with 69 points for the year. The Blackhawks prospect is also on a six-game point streak with four tallies and five assists. Marco Mignosa ranks third with an even 51 points (20 G, 31 A) in 51 games.

Charlie Schenkel has appeared in 43 contests for the Hounds this season, earning 27 wins which are tied for third-most in the OHL. He has the league's fifth-best goals-against average of 3.00 and his save percentage is .888. Rookie Landon Miller has 15 wins across 27 appearances and carries a 2.78 GAA with an .891 SV%.

Soo's power play ranks seventh in the league with a 22.3% conversion rate. Their penalty kill sits eighth at 80.5%.

SCOUTING THE FIREBIRDS: (28-30-3-1, 3rd West Division):

Overager Oliver Peer remains in the top spot offensively with 32 goals and 40 assists for 72 points. Nolan Dann is second with 61 points (27 G, 34 A) and has recorded two four-point games in his past five. Anaheim Ducks prospect Coulson Pitre has combined 27 goals with 27 assists to rank third for the season.

Day has donned the pads in 51 games, earning 24 victories with a 3.76 goals-against average and a save percentage of .868. Rookie netminder Jacob Brown has four wins through 15 appearances. His GAA is 4.15 and his SV% sits at .858.

Flint's power play is scoring at a 17.0% clip, ranking 18th in the league. The penalty kill is 13th-best, shutting down their opponents 78.6% of the time.

ODDS & ENDS: The Birds have gone 10-17-2-1 on home ice this season and are 5-5-0-0 in the last ten games. The Hounds' road record is 22-7-1-1 and they have points in nine of their last ten tilts... With a win tonight, the Birds could tie the Guelph Storm for seventh in the Western Conference and pull within a single point of the Erie Otters, who hold sixth. Erie plays at home against the London Knights on Wednesday and Guelph is idle but will play on Thursday against the Windsor Spitfires.

PROMOTIONS: This evening's contest is another Buy One, Get One 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).

BROADCAST COVERAGE: This evening's game against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 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 in Sarnia Friday before returning home to host the Windsor Spitfires on Saturday. The Saturday game versus Windsor is Education Appreciation Night, sponsored by Sovita Credit Union & Michigan Educational Association. All Educational staff employees will receive a FREE ticket at the Dort Financial Center Box Office with proof of employment. The first 500 fans in attendance will receive a FREE t-shirt courtesy of Genesee Educational Consultant Services. Saturday's puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. and regular tickets are available now from ETIX.com.

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