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OHL Flint Firebirds

Firebirds Open Postseason with Game 1 in London

March 29, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


LONDON, Ont. - The Firebirds hit the ice on Friday night in London for the first game of their first round, best-of-seven series with the London Knights. Flint finished the regular season as the eighth seed in the Western Conference and London took the top seed and ended the year with the OHL's best record. Game 1 between the Firebirds and Knights is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Budweiser Gardens.

LAST TIME OUT: The Firebirds hurled 41 shots on goal and outshot the Sarnia Sting, 41-18 but Flint could not crack Sarnia goaltender Nick Surzycia as they were shut out by the Sting, 3-0, in the regular season finale on Saturday night at the Dort Financial Center.

SEASON SERIES: The Firebirds and Knights played four times during the regular season and London won three of the four. Flint took the first game of the series, 7-4, on November 17 in London. Coulson Pitre had a hat trick during that win and led the Firebirds with four goals and three assists in the four games against the Knights. The last time the Firebirds and Knights played was on March 2 at the Dort Financial Center. Flint is 9-20-1-2 all-time against London including a 5-10-0-1 mark at Budweiser Gardens. This is the first time the Firebirds and Knights have met in the postseason.

NHL TALENT ROSTER: London's roster features 10 players, seven forwards and three defensemen, who have been drafted or signed by NHL teams. Two players were taken in the first round of the NHL Draft, Easton Cowan (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Oliver Bonk (Philadelphia Flyers) were each drafted in the first round in 2023. Flint has three NHL drafted players on its roster; Coulson Pitre (Anaheim Ducks), Tristan Bertucci (Dallas Stars) and Nathan Day (Edmonton Oilers).

PLAYOFF HISTORY: The Firebirds have made the playoffs for the fourth time in franchise history an the third straight season. Flint fell to the Saginaw Spirit in seven games in the first round in 2023 and reached the Western Conference Finals in 2022.

REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS: London won the Hamilton Spectator Trophy by finishing with the OHL's best regular season record, the seventh time in franchise history they have done so.

ODDS AND ENDS: The Knights had the second-highest goals for (4.74) and lowest goals against (2.90) per game in the OHL in the regular season...Michael Simpson led the league in GAA (2.61) and was tied for third in save percentage (.905)...Nathan Day was fourth in the OHL in minutes played (3,124).

BROADCAST COVERAGE: Friday's game 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 postseason can be watched anywhere in the world online at https://watch.chl.ca/ohl.

UP NEXT: The Firebirds will remain in London for Game 2 of the best-of-seven series on Sunday afternoon. Puck drop is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Budweiser Gardens.

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 29, 2024


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