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OHL Flint Firebirds

Firebirds Post Franchise-Record Sixth-Consecutive Victory Friday

January 31, 2020 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


Flint, Mich. - The Firebirds posted a franchise-record sixth-consecutive victory Friday after earning a 4-3 overtime triumph over the Erie Otters at the Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center. Flint's all-time defensive scoring leader Riley McCourt recorded a hat trick, including the game-winning tally in overtime. Veteran netminder Anthony Popovich became the Flint goaltender with the most wins in a single season with his 19th victory between the pipes, making 33 saves on 36 shots. Rookie forward Brennan Othmann also lit the lamp for the 'Birds, and is now just two goals shy of tying team captain Ty Dellandrea (Dallas Stars) for the most goals by a Firebird in their rookie season. Flint's top-ranked penalty kill on home ice got the job done, successfully killing off both penalties taken in the contest.

The clubs skated to a scoreless tie in the opening frame. The action on the ice was intense, with both teams finishing their checks and playing stellar defense. Both netminders were tested frequently and made amazing saves on both ends of the rink. Erie outshot Flint by one, finishing with a 12 - 11 advantage. The 'Birds had the upper hand in the faceoff circle, winning 11 of 17 draws.

Riley McCourt scored two unanswered in the second period to give Flint the early lead. First, he sniped a shot from the outer edge of the right-wing circle to put the Firebirds on the board at 1:19 of the middle stanza. Cody Morgan carried from his own defensive end through the neutral zone along the left wall. From the half-boards, he dropped a pass to Ethan Keppen (Vancouver Canucks), who then dropped the puck to McCourt. Flint's all-time top-scoring defenseman used Keppen as a screen and found twine near-side for his 14th of the season.

McCourt scored his second of the night on a breakaway during four-on-four play at 10:13. He saw a turnover happening deep in Flint's defensive zone and took off across the neutral zone. Connor Roberts picked the pocket of an Otter defender and hit McCourt in stride as he crossed the blue line. He made a couple of forehand-to-backhand moves with the stick before snapping the puck just inside the left post. Popovich was given the second assist on the play.

Late in the second, huge hits were delivered and gloves were dropped. More than 50 penalty-minutes and an Erie player's ejection resulted from a melee that began with a blindside hit on Ty Dellandrea in front of the Erie cage.

Daniel D'Amato netted one shorthanded at 19:31 of the second to put the Otters on the scoresheet. Maxim Golod sent the set-up pass from his own end across the center-ice faceoff dot to D'Amato, creating a breakaway opportunity from the red line in. D'Amato lifted a short-range wrister over Popovich's glove for his 14th of the season. Jacob Golden (Minnesota Wild) was credited with the second helper.

Flint had the upper hand in second-period shots 20 - 11 and led on the shot clock 26 - 15.

The Otters tied the game 4:24 into the third period. Jamie Drysdale took the initial shot from the right circle and Popovich made the pad save. Austen Swankler was in front and redirected the rebound under Popovich for his 12th of the campaign.

With just under five minutes remaining in regulation of a tied game, Dennis Busby (Arizona Coyotes) backhanded a pass toward the slot from below the goal line in the right-wing corner. The puck slid through traffic and across the mouth of the crease before Brennan Othmann settled it and slid it five-hole under goaltender Daniel Murphy for his 11th of the season, logged at 15:03. Evgeniy Oksentyuk picked up the second assist.

The Otters called Murphy to the bench for the extra attacker at 18:30, and then tied the game at 18:38. Golden launched the initial slapper from the left point, and Maxim Golod found the rebound in a crowd, scoring his 19th of the season and eventually forcing overtime.

Flint's penalty-killers were put to the test in overtime, skating down a man for the first 1:56 of the extra frame. With just over a minute remaining before needing a shootout, Cody Morgan carried up the left-wing side through the neutral zone and made a drop-pass to Jake Durham just inside the blue line. From just above the left circle, Durham fed McCourt in the right-wing circle for the one-timer that beat Murphy near-side and completed the hat-trick.

Final shots were 43 - 39 to Flint's advantage, and edge in faceoffs also went to the Firebirds by a margin of 39 - 28.

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 31, 2020


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