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OHL Flint Firebirds

Firebirds' Three Goals Not Enough, Suffer 7-3 Defeat to Otters Sunday

February 27, 2022 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


Flint, Mich. - The Firebirds and Otters skated to a scoreless tie after 20 minutes, then Erie went on to score four-straight in the second period and the clubs combined for ten goals in the final two frames Sunday afternoon. Defenseman Dmitry Kuzmin (Winnipeg Jets) scored two of Flint's three, with fellow rearguard Tyler Deline potting the other marker for the home team. Erie was led by three-point performances from Daniel D'Amato (2 G, 1 A) and Elias Cohen (1 G, 2 A). The tilt featured two rookie goaltenders at either end of the ice. Nolan Lalonde made 24 saves on 27 shots to earn his 18th victory of the season in his 38th appearance for Eria. Flint was backstopped by Nathaniel Day, playing in his sixth game. Day made 21 saves in his third OHL start. Special teams were significant, as the Otters scored two power-play tallies and once while shorthanded.

The Otters poured the pressure on early in the game, outshooting the Firebirds 5-1 through the opening 10 minutes. Flint made the necessary adjustments and battled back through the balance of the frame. The best scoring opportunity of the first period came with three minutes remaining when the Otters used a two-on-one up-ice rush and a late pass to test Day. He was up to the task, making an acrobatic slide across the crease and keeping Erie off the scoreboard.

The score remained knotted at zero after 20 minutes of play. Shots were 11-7, advantage Otters. Faceoffs ended 7-6 to Erie's advantage. Neither club took a penalty in the first period.

Erie broke the scoreless tie early in the middle frame and went on to score four in the period. First, Connor Lockhart fired a shot into traffic from the right point. Day made the initial save, and Brett Bressette took a second shot from the inner edge of the left circle. Bressett's shot hit a player's stick in the slot and came to rest near the top of the crease with bodies and sticks flailing. Day attempted to dive forward and cover the puck with his glove, but Noah Sedore got to it first and tucked it home for his 11th of the season at 1:29.

Next, Daniel D'Amato found Brendan Sellan open atop the right circle. Sellan sent a pass to rookie Spencer Sova along the wall at the left-wing half boards. Sova turned and fired a shot that went above Day's right pad but below the blocker for his sixth of the campaign at 5:24.

One minute later Brendan Hoffman made a sharp backhand pass from the left corner across the goalmouth to Carey Terrance on the far side, who completed the back-door play for his fifth of the year at 6:24. Lucas Ross was credited with the second assist.

Finally, during Erie's first power play, Daniel D'Amato collected a pass from Elias Cohen behind the goal line to Day's left. D'Amato sent the puck to the slot, but a Flint defender deflected toward the left corner. Connor Lockhart was in a position to one-time the deflection behind Day for his 18th of the season at 12:56.

The Birds finally solved LaLonde at the 15:50 mark. Tag Bertuzzi sent a hard pass from the left faceoff dot between the circles to the oncoming Dmitry Kuzmin just right of center. Kuzmin dropped low to use the flex in his stick and laser his one-timer past Lalonde for his ninth of the season, assisted by Bertuzzi and Gavin Hayes.

The second period concluded with the visiting Otters up 4-1. Middle-stanza shots ended 11-9 in favor of the Firebirds. The Otters again controlled the faceoff dots 12-7. Flint was scoreless with one power-play chance and Erie scored once on two opportunities.

After Flint put on some heavy pressure in front of Lalonde on another chance with the man-advantage, an errant shot caromed around the boards and into the neutral territory. The foot race was on, and Daniel D'Amato won it. He gathered the puck along the left-wing wall and carried in a half-pace ahead of the defender. He shot from point-blank range on Day, sliding the puck beneath the young goaltender for his 16th of the season at 4:34, unassisted.

Kuzmin would bury his second of the game on the power play at the 10:00 mark of the frame. Tag Bertuzzi pulled the puck off the boards and fed Gavin Hayes, who quickly sent it to Kuzmin centered just inside the blue line. The Winnipeg Jets' prospect wound and fired into traffic, beating Lalonde down low, blocker side.

D'Amato scored Erie's sixth shorthanded on a one-on-one rush up the left side of the zone with a defender keeping pace. The left-hander carried to the bottom of the left circle, then roofed a shot over Day's right shoulder for his second of the night and 17th of the season at 14:34. Christian Kyrou picked up the lone assist.

The Firebirds answered just over 30 seconds later when blue-liner Tyler Deline joined a rush and scored off the back of the goaltender's equipment from below the goal line. Coulson Pitre and Kuzmin assisted on the even-strength tally, recorded at 15:11.

With just over four-and-a-half minutes remaining in regulation, Erie used their timeout after an icing call to rest and regroup. The Birds opted to keep Day on the bench for an extra attacker after the stoppage, but the Otters quickly made them pay. Elias Cohen snagged a loose puck in front of his bench and sent it into the vacant cage for his 20th at 15:32.

Final shots on goal favored Erie 28-27. Faceoffs ended even at 26 per side. The Birds finished 1-for-5 with the man-advantage, while Erie went 2-for-3.

Next Up: The Firebirds embark on a 3-in-3 road trip next weekend starting next Friday night in Erie. They will play the Otters Friday and Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. (ET) before heading to Guelph to take on the Storm Sunday at 4:00 p.m. On Saturday, March 12, the Birds will return to home ice to host the Guelph Storm for a 7:00 p.m. (ET) battle. It will be Teacher Appreciation Night sponsored by PFCU. Complimentary tickets will be available to all Educational Professionals with valid school ID work badges at the Dort Financial Center office. Tickets are on sale NOW here: ETIX.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 27, 2022


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