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OHL Flint Firebirds

Firebirds Launch Five-Game Home Stand Tonight, Host Battalion

February 25, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


Flint, Mich. - With only 12 games remaining in the regular season, the Firebirds look to gain a few positions in the Western Conference. Their next five games are all on home ice, beginning tonight when they host the North Bay Battalion for 80's Night. Puck drop at the Dort Financial Center is set for 7:00 p.m. (ET).

The Battalion were recently named an Honorable Mention in the Kia CHL Top 10 rankings. They sit first in the Central Division and second in the Eastern Conference with a record of 37-15-2-1. They've gone 18-10-1-0 in road games. The Firebirds rank fourth in the West Division and seventh in the Western Conference with a 25-26-4-1 mark. They've posted an 11-12-2-1 record on home ice thus far this season, and are winless in nine contests versus opponents from the Central Division.

All time the Firebirds are 3-6-1-1 in the series with the Troops, and they've gone 2-3-0-0 when playing them at the Dort Financial Center. In the one prior meeting this season, the Battalion skated to a 7-3 victory at the North Bay Memorial Gardens. Coulson Pitre potted a pair of goals to lead the Firebirds in offense, and was named the game's 'Third Star.' Kyle McDonald stole the show for North Bay, netting a hat trick plus earning an assist in the tilt. Tonight is the second and final matchup between these squads in the campaign and is the only game to be played in Flint.

On special teams, the Firebirds have converted on 19.6% of their power-play chances, ranking them 17th in the league. The Troops have found success 21.9% of the time, which ranks ninth in the OHL. Flint has killed off 76.6% of their penalties, which is 15th in the league. North Bay has the best penalty kill in the league operating at an 87.7% efficiency. Both teams are tied with Mississauga for the most shorthanded goals in the OHL with 13.

Promotions

Tonight is 80's Night, and the Dort Financial Center will host a night filled with nostalgia as the Firebirds throw it back to the 1980s. The first 1,000 fans will receive a FREE glow bracelet, and fans are encouraged to dress up in their favorite 80s attire. The Dort Financial Center Box Office is open for walk-up tickets and tickets are also available online at Etix.com HERE.

Players to Watch

Flint Firebirds (25-26-4-1, 4th West Division):

Amadeus Lombardi is riding the longest active points streak in the OHL at 13 games (12 G, 14 A). For the season he has 37 goals and 42 helpers for 79 total points across 56 games. He has the fourth-most points in the league, ranks sixth in goals scored, and has posted multiple points in 24 contests this season. Michigander (Westland) Gavin Hayes remains in second with 59 points, stemming from 28 tallies and 31 helpers. He has four goals and ten assists for 14 points in his current nine-game points streak which is tied for the second-longest streak in the OHL. Overage forward Riley Piercey ranks third with 19 goals and 38 assists.

Defender Dmitry Kuzmin has the fourth-most points (52) of any rearguard in the OHL, combining the sixth-most assists (40) with the ninth-most goals (12). He recently took over the top spot in all-time goal scoring by a Flint rearguard with 30 total tallies for the Birds. Kuzmin is six goals and four helpers away from tying single-season records for defensive players as well.

Veteran goaltender Will Cranley will celebrate his 21st birthday on Sunday. Through 40 appearances, he's posted a 4.00 goals-against average (GAA) and a .880 save percentage (SV%). Cranley is credited with 15 victories, including one shutout. Nathan Day has ten wins across 23 appearances and carries a GAA of 4.37 with a .859 SV%.

NHL: The Firebirds have six players with NHL ties consisting of Will Cranley (St. Louis Blues), Amadeus Lombardi (Detroit Red Wings), Gavin Hayes (Chicago Blackhawks), Braeden Kressler (Toronto Maple Leafs), Dmitri Kuzmin (Winnipeg Jets), and Artem Guryev (San Jose Sharks). Additionally, Coulson Pitre, Tristan Bertucci, Ethan Hay, and goaltender Nathan Day were listed on the NHL Central Scouting's 2023 Midterm Rankings for the upcoming NHL Draft.

Through seven OHL seasons thus far, Alex Nedeljkovic (Detroit), Kole Sherwood (Columbus), Ty Dellandrea (Dallas), Tyler Tucker (St. Louis), and Will Bitten (St. Louis) are five former Firebirds to play in the NHL. Riley Piercey (Detroit) and Gavin Hayes (Chicago) played in NHL preseason contests this year, joining Firebirds' alumni Ethan Keppen (Vancouver), Vili Saarijarvi (Detroit), and Jalen Smereck (Arizona). In total, the team has produced 24 signed or drafted players into the NHL.

North Bay Battalion (37-15-2-1, 1st Central Division):

The Battalion are led by Matvey Petrov with 24 goals and 54 assists on the season. He's tied for fifth in the league in points, sits third in assists, is tied at fifth in power-play assists (21), and his 1.44 points-per-game average is eighth in the OHL. Kyle Jackson ranks second for the club with a team-leading 28 tallies plus 41 helpers for 69 points.

Defender Ty Nelson is third with 64 points, combining 20 goals and 44 assists. Among all rearguards in the league, Nelson is tied for the most goals, second-most power-play tallies (10), and has the second-most points and assists. Fellow blue-liner Paul Christopoulos has the best plus/minus rating in the OHL at a +44.

Dom DiVincentiis has donned the pads in 41 games this season. His 30 victories are the most of any OHL netminder, and he picked up his second shutout last night in a 4-0 win over the Spirit in Saginaw. DiVincentiis carries the league's best goals-against average (GAA) at 2.38 and has the second-best save percentage (SV%) at .916. Rookie goaltender Charlie Robertson has appeared in 13 contests and is credited with seven wins. He holds a 3.28 GAA and a .885 SV%.

NHL: North Bay's roster has nine players with NHL ties, including forwards Justin Ertel (Dallas Stars), Liam Arnsby (Florida Panthers), Josh Bloom (Buffalo Sabres), Matvey Petrov (Edmonton Oilers), Kyle Jackson (Seattle Kraken), and Pasquale Zito (Detroit Red Wings). Tnias Mathurin (Detroit Red Wings) and Ty Nelson (Seattle Kraken) are the two defensemen with NHL ties, in addition to goaltender Dom DiVincentiis (Winnipeg Jets). Forward Anthony Romani, defender Wyatt Kennedy and goaltender Charlie Robertson were named to the 2023 NHL Central Scouting's Midseason Rankings.

Three notable North Bay Battalion alumni to play in the NHL are Michael Amadio, Barclay Goodrow and Nick Paul. Dating back to the Brampton Battalion, seven notable alums to play in the NHL are Brent Burns, Sam Carrick, Matt Duchene, Thomas McCollum, Jason Spezza, Raffi Torres and Wojtek Wolski.

Broadcast Coverage:

This evening's contest against the North Bay Battalion 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 here. Jack Sznewajs will call the play-by-play action on the Firebirds Hockey Network (FHN), starting with the pre-game show at 6:45 p.m. (ET).

The game will be televised live across the province of Ontario on the OHL Action Pak on channel 468. OHL fans with cable television in Ontario can add the OHL Action Pak to their television plan to catch the Firebirds in action, home or away all season long.

All Flint Firebirds' home and away games throughout the 2022-23 regular season can be watched anywhere in the world online at https://watch.chl.ca/ohl. CHL TV is the league's new and improved video streaming platform that delivers high-quality live and on-demand coverage of all regular season and playoff games annually. The cost is $7.99 for 24-hour access, $29.99 for monthly access, $119.99 for all-access to the 2022-23 Firebirds and OHL season, or $179.99 for all-access to the entire 2022-23 CHL season.

Next Up: Sunday afternoon is the final game in the I-75 Divide Cup Series (Sponsored by Coors Light) as the Firebirds take on the Saginaw Spirit. The event is themed Princess & Superhero Family 'FUN'day! Get two FREE kids tickets, with every paid adult ticket available only at the Dort Financial Center Box Office. Everyone's favorite princess and superhero characters will be in attendance and kids are encouraged to dress up as their favorite characters as well. There will also be a costume parade held at the first intermission. The Dort Financial Center Box Office opens at Noon on Sunday. All other tickets can be purchased at Etix.com.

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 25, 2023


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