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OHL Flint Firebirds

Firebirds Score Four-Straight to Rally from Behind, Surrender OT Loss to Spitfires

February 18, 2022 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


Windsor, Ont. - Windsor scored three-straight to start Friday evening's contest before the Firebirds rallied back and scored four to take a lead late. One goal in the final 30 seconds of regulation and another at 2:45 of overtime gave the Spits the home-ice victory in front of more than 3,200 fans at the WFCU Centre. For Flint, Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers) scored his 33rd, and Gavin Hayes, Tag Bertuzzi, and Ethan Keppen (Vancouver Canucks) all found twine for the 11th time this season. For Windsor, Will Cuylle (New York Rangers) and Wyatt Johnston (Dallas Stars) each scored their 27th goal of the season, Ethan Miedema netted his tenth and Pasquale Zito (Detroit Red Wings) logged his 15th. It was Michael Renwick's sixth of the season in overtime that made all the difference. In goal, Detroit, Mich. native Xavier Medina came up big for his club again, making 20 saves on 24 shots to pick up his 15th victory of the campaign. Across the ice, Luke Cavallin stopped 35 of 40 in a busy night between the pipes.

Windsor initiated the scoring with two power-play tallies in the first period. Flint went down a man due to a delay of game penalty in the first minute of play. New York Rangers prospect Will Cuylle made them pay, taking a cross-ice pass from Louka Henault and lifting a wrister top-shelf from the top of the left circle at 1:53. Cuylle's team-leading 27th was assisted by Henault and Pasquale Zito. Then, with less than five minutes remaining in the opening frame and on another power play, Ryan Abraham fed Ethan Miedema from deep in the right-wing corner to the top of the left circle. Miedema lifted another wrister that struck twine at 14:46, assisted by Abraham and Josh Currie.

The first period ended 2-0 to Windsor's advantage. They outshot the Birds 15-6 in the frame and outdrew them 8-5. Flint was unable to convert on their lone man advantage, while the Spitfires scored two goals on three power-play chances.

The teams traded a single goal in the second period. First, it was Wyatt Johnston potting the game's first even-strength tally at 8:35 off a nice cross-ice feed from Andrew Perrott. Matthew Maggio made the initial pass to Perrott and earned the second assist. The goal was Johnston's 27th of the season.

Flint had two great opportunities to find the scoreboard over the next few minutes. First, Riley Piercey made a move in the right circle and created space to shoot wide open in the crease. Medina came out above the blue paint to challenge and made the save. Moments later, Tag Bertuzzi emerged on an all-out breakaway on his 21st birthday, but Medina read the forehand to backhand fake and kicked the shot aside.

Finally, Brennan Othmann sniped a mid-height shot to the far side from atop the left-wing circle at 16:44 to cut the lead to a pair. It was Othmann's 33rd of the campaign, unassisted.

Again, the Spitfires outshot the Firebirds, this time by an 11-9 margin. Windsor also won 15 faceoffs compared to seven for Flint. The Birds had the lone power-play chance in the middle frame but were unable to convert.

Flint carried their momentum from the latter parts of the second period into the final frame. They only needed 59 seconds Gavin Hayes lifted a snapshot over Medina's left shoulder and put his club within a single goal. Dmitry Kuzmin picked up the lone helper on Hayes' 11th of the season, scored at even strength.

The Birds' fourth-consecutive goal was the result of Amadeus Lombardi winning an offensive zone faceoff to Medina's right. He slipped the puck behind his opposing centerman and quickly backhanded it across the slot to Ethan Keppen for the one-timer on the backdoor play. Keppen's 11th was logged at 8:15, giving Flint their first lead of the night.

The Firebirds held the lead late, with Windsor pulling Medina right at the 18-minute mark, and using their timeout on the next stoppage of play. It paid off, and the Spits tied the game with 27 seconds remaining in regulation. Perrot slapped a shot from the right faceoff shot, and Cavallin dropped into the butterfly to make the save. The rebound, however, trickled into the slot. Zito gathered the loose puck and slipped it around Cavallin's right skate just inside the left post for his 15th.

At the end of regulation, the game remained tied at four. Windsor had outshot Flint 37-23 and outdrew them 40-25. The Firebirds went scoreless on two power-play chances, while the Spitfires converted on two of three opportunities.

In the three-on-three overtime period, Lombardi had the first open opportunity in the second minute. He flashed his speed past a defender to create a two-on-one. Lombardi opted to shoot, but Medina kicked it aside. The Johnston and Cuylle created a couple of quick two-on-one's for the Spitfires. Cavallin made the save on the first attempt, but on the second break, Johnston opted to drop the puck to the late man Michael Renwick. Renwick leaned hard into a slapper that slipped past Cavallin, securing the win for the Spitfires. Windsor had three shots-on-net in the extra frame and Flint generated one.

Next Up: The Firebirds will return home to host the Spitfires at the Dort Financial Center Saturday. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. (ET). It will be Youth Sports Night in Flint. Kids 18 & under who wear their youth or school team jersey get in FREE with any purchase of an adult ticket at the box office only. Additional tickets are on sale NOW here: ETIX.

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