Firebirds Open up Back-To-Back Games in Owen Sound Tonight
December 4, 2021 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
Owen Sound, Ont. - The Firebirds have crossed the border for just the fourth time this season to play a back-to-back pair of games versus the Owen Sound Attack. First up is a Saturday evening tilt, followed by a Sunday afternoon matchup. Puck drop is set for 7:30 p.m. (ET) at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre Saturday evening in Owen Sound.
The Firebirds enter Saturday's contest in third place in the West Division with a record of 10-7-0-1. The Attack rank third in the Midwest, with a 9-8-1-2 record. On home ice this year, Owen Sound has gone 6-3-0-1 compared to Flint's road record of 5-1-0-1. The Firebirds' win-percentage on the road is .786, which is second-best in the OHL. Against Midwest Division opponents this season, Flint's record sits at 7-1-0-0.
All-time, Flint carries a record of 6-10-0-0 against Owen Sound, with a road record of 2-8-0-0. In the shortened 2019-20 season, each team won two of the four meetings. Saturday marks the first of four total meetings between the clubs, and the first of two to be played in Owen Sound.
Flint's last game was played Wednesday evening versus the Spirit in Saginaw. The biggest highlight in the game was the rookie netminder for the Birds Ian Michelone making all 32 saves for his first career shutout in the 3-0 road victory. The Firebirds are one of only two teams in the OHL with two goalies that have shutouts this season. Top-scoring rookie Coulson Pitre lit the lamp for his sixth of the campaign, veteran Riley Piercey also potted his fourth, and Braeden Kressler (Toronto Maple Leafs) found the empty net for his fourth of the season. The Attack most recently dropped a 4-3 decision to the Rangers in Kitchener Friday night.
On special teams, Flint ranks 15th on the power play, converting at a 17.5% rate. The Attack rank 13th, scoring at a 20.0% clip. The Birds carry the league's third-best penalty kill (PK), holding their opposition scoreless 86.6% of the time. On the road, Flint's PK is best in the OHL at 89.7%. Owen Sound is 12th in the league with a 77.4% success rate.
Players to Watch:
Flint Firebirds (10-7-0-1, 3rd West Division):
Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers) tops the charts for Flint with a total of 27 points (14 G, 13 A) in 18 games-played. He's tied for 11th in total goals scored and 12th in power-play tallies with five. Second in points for Flint is blue-liner Tyler Deline with 16 total points (3 G, 13 A). Deline is tied for ninth among OHL defensemen with 13 assists. His nine power-play assists are sixth-most in the league. Amadeus Lombardi (5 G, 7 A) and Riley Piercey (4 G, 8 A) are tied for third with 12 points each. Piercey is currently on a five-game point streak (2 G, 5 A).
Westland, Michigan native Gavin Hayes has also been hot of late, with six points in his last four games (3 G, 3 A). Flint's top rookie on the charts is Coulson Pitre with six goals and three assists in 12 games. In the faceoff circle, Braeden Kressler (Toronto Maple Leafs) carries the fourth-best faceoff win-percentage (59.3%) among centers who've taken more than 100 draws.
In net, Luke Cavallin has appeared in 15 games thus far. He carries a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.40, which is eighth-best among OHL netminders with 10 or more games. His save percentage (SV%) is .900, which is eighth-best out of the same group. Cavallin has earned eight wins, and is the all-time winningest goaltender in Firebirds' franchise history with 34 total victories between the pipes. Rookie netminder Ian Michelone has now played three full games, and he carries a GAA of 2.67 and a SV% of .929 with two wins and one shutout.
NHL: The Firebirds have three players with NHL ties consisting of Braeden Kressler (Toronto Maple Leafs), Dmitry Kuzmin (Winnipeg Jets), and Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers). Also, Gavin Hayes was recently named to the 2021 NHL Central Scouting November Players to Watch List.
Despite Flint playing in just five OHL seasons thus far, Alex Nedeljkovic (Carolina Hurricanes / Detroit Red Wings), Kole Sherwood (Columbus Blue Jackets), and Ty Dellandrea (Dallas Stars) are three former Firebirds to play in the NHL. Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers) and Firebirds' alumni Ethan Keppen (Vancouver Canucks), Vili Saarijarvi (Detroit Red Wings) and Jalen Smereck (Arizona Coyotes) have all played in NHL pre-season contests. In total, the team has produced 21 signed or drafted players into the NHL.
Owen Sound Attack (9-8-1-2, 3rd Midwest Division):
Deni Goure leads the Attack on the scoresheet with 10 goals and 11 helpers through 20 games-played. Rearguard Andrew Perrott and rookie Servac Petrovsky are tied for second with 18 total points in 20 games each. Perrot has one goal and a team-high 17 assists, and Petrovsky has six tallies and 12 helpers. Perrott's 10 power-play assists are tied for seventh-most in the OHL currently.
Between the pipes, Nick Chenard has made eight appearances and earned three victories. He carries a 2.67 goals-against average (GAA) and a save-percentage (SV%) of .919. The 2.67 GAA is the sixth-best among OHL net-minders with at least eight appearances, and his SV% is third-best among the same group. Rookie netminder Corbin Votary has one win in five appearances, along with a 4.49 GAA and a .850 SV%.
NHL: The are currently without any players with NHL ties. However, Servac Petrovsky, Gavin Bryant, and Cedrick Guindon were named to the 2021 NHL Central Scouting November Players to Watch List.
The list of notable Owen Sound alumni to play in the NHL includes Sean Avery, Wayne Simmonds, Mark Giordano, Bobby Ryan, Kirk Maltby, Josh Bailey, Joel Ward, Wayne Primeau, Brad Richardson, Andrej Sekera, Trevor Lewis, Andrew Shaw, Cody Ceci, Brian McGrattan, Kevin Weekes, and Paul Bissonnette.
Broadcast Coverage:
Saturday evening's contest against the Owen Sound Attack 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). Pregame coverage will begin prior to puck drop at 7:15 p.m. (ET) Saturday evening.
The game will also be televised live across the province of Ontario on the OHL Action Pak on channel 470 (4470 HD) for both Rogers TV and Cogeco TV cable subscribers. 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.
Also, all Flint Firebirds' home and away games throughout the 2021-22 regular season can be watched anywhere in the world online on 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 $6.99 for 24-hour access, $24.99 for monthly access, $109.99 for all-access to the 2021-22 Firebirds and OHL season, or $159.99 for all-access to the entire 2021-22 CHL season.
Next Home Game: After playing game two versus the Attack Sunday afternoon on the road, the Firebirds return to home ice Wednesday, December 8 to host the Erie Otters. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. (ET) at the Dort Financial Center. Tickets are on sale NOW here: ETIX.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 4, 2021
- 'Birds Soar over Attack for Saturday Night Road Victory - Flint Firebirds
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- Firebirds Open up Back-To-Back Games in Owen Sound Tonight - Flint Firebirds
- Game Preview: Guelph Storm at Saginaw Spirit - Guelph Storm
- Spirit Host Storm on 'Hometown Heroes Night' at the Dow - Saginaw Spirit
- Meriläinen Leads Kingston to a Shutout Victory over Oshawa on Teddy Bear Toss Night - Kingston Frontenacs
- Steelheads Stand Tall in Shutout Win over 67's - Brampton Steelheads
- Battalion Beats Bulldogs - North Bay Battalion
- Special Teams the Difference in Loss to Rangers - Owen Sound Attack
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