Firebirds Surrender Lead Late, Fall to Colts, 4-2
February 2, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
FLINT, Mich. - Oliver Peer scored twice to pace the Flint attack but the Barrie Colts grabbed a pair of late goals, vaulting them to a 4-2 win over the Firebirds on Friday night at the Dort Financial Center.
Flint netted the first tally of the game near the midway point of the opening frame. Gavin Ewles slid the puck across the hash marks from the left circle to Peer in the right. Peer snapped a one-timer that beat netminder Ben West low on the glove side for an early 1-0 Firebirds lead.
The Colts tied things up in the final minute of period one. Cole Beaudoin crossed behind Nathan Day's net and passed out to Thomas Stewart at the right point. Stewart's quick snapshot sailed through traffic and past Day to tie the score at one heading into the first intermission.
The game remained tied until deep in the middle frame when Jack Brauti launched a shot into heavy traffic from the right point. Shamar Moses deflected the shot in the high slot, sending the puck careening over Day's right shoulder, giving Barrie its first lead of the game, 2-1.
Flint fought back and tied it with a power play goal less than three minutes later. Roberto Mancini was quarterbacking the man advantage from the high slot and slid the puck towards Peer at the right circle. Peer again one-timed the pass past West on the far side for his second goal of the game to tie the score at two.
The score was still tied at two until the final two minutes of the third period when Barrie went ahead for good. With the Firebirds skating shorthanded, they turned the puck over in their own zone and Beaudoin skated himself loose to the slot. He lifted a shot high over Day's blocker and put the Colts on top, 3-2, with just 96 seconds remaining in regulation.
The Firebirds lifted Day for an extra attacker in the last minute but could not strike again for the equalizer. Instead, Riley Patterson sent a puck into the empty net as the clock hit zeroes, pushing the score to its 4-2 final.
Peer's two goals pushed his team-leading total to 28 and Nolan Dann recorded a point for the 15th time in his last 16 games. The Firebirds fell to 19-24-2-1 in the loss while the Colts improved to 19-24-2-0.
Flint returns to action on Saturday night on home ice against the Ottawa 67's. It's Family Night and puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Dort Financial Center.
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