Sports stats



OHL Flint Firebirds

Firebirds Rally But Fall to Bulldogs, 3-2

February 23, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


FLINT, Mich. - Tristan Bertucci and Jimmy Lombardi each scored in the third period as the Firebirds came from behind to tie the game, but the Brantford Bulldogs struck with less than two minutes to go, vaulting them to a 3-2 win over Flint on Friday night at the Dort Financial Center.

With the Firebirds trailing, 2-0 in the third and operating on a power play, they worked the puck around the umbrella and eventually to Bertucci at the point. He loaded up a snap shot and fired it from the blue line. The shot slipped through traffic and went just above Matteo Drobac's right pad and below his blocker to pull Flint within one.

Less than six minutes later, Matthew Jenken fed Simon Slavicek for a heavy one-timer from the outer edge of the right circle. Drobac made the pad save and the rebound shot out to his right. Blake Smith took a swing at it but was tied up with a defender. Right behind Smith was Lombardi who pounced on the puck and fired it past the sprawling Drobac on the near side to tie the game at two.

Flint controlled the majority of the play from that point put it was Brantford who cashed in with the final marker of the contest. With less than two minutes remaining, the Bulldogs stormed into the attacking zone and Daniil Sobolev wristed the puck from the left circle toward the front of the net. Florian Xhekaj crashed the net and got his stick on the puck, sending it caroming over Day's shoulder to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead.

The Firebirds pulled Day for an extra attacker but could not mount anything further as their comeback fell short, 3-2.

Brantford started the scoring in the second period while on the power play. Washington Capitals prospect Patrick Thomas slapped a shot from the center point high above the circles. Day kicked the shot aside to his left, but Zakary Lavoie was waiting at the right circle. He grabbed the loose puck and snapped it behind the recovering goaltender to give the Bulldogs a 1-0 lead.

Flint's deficit doubled in the first minute of the third, again thanks to the stick of Lavoie. This time he perched himself in the slot below the marks and received a pass on the tape. As he snapped the puck on net a defender got a piece of the shot, causing it to wobble end-over-end through the air and past the glove of Day to make the score 2-0.

Bertucci's tally marked his 100th OHL point, Lombardi now has points in three straight and Day recorded 18 saves on 21 shots. The Firebirds fell to 24-27-3-1 in the loss while Brantford improved to 32-16-6-2.

Flint will return to action on home ice Saturday as they host the North Bay Battalion on Healthcare Heroes Night, sponsored by Sovita Credit Union. Any healthcare worker can get a free ticket to the game by showing proof of employment at the Dort Financial Center box office. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m.

Story: Brandon Mills // flintfirebirds.com

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 23, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central