Firebirds Weekly Roundup, February 23 - March 1
Published on March 2, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
FLINT - The Firebirds held a record of 38-14-4-2 and ranked second in the OHL's ten-team Western Conference heading into the final week of February. They trailed first-place Kitchener by only two points, and held a three-point cushion ahead of Windsor, who ranked third. However, before the puck dropped on the Birds' first game of the week, both the Spitfires and the Rangers had played twice and won twice, dropping Flint to third, one point behind Windsor and six points back of Kitchener.
On Saturday, the Firebirds hosted the Ottawa 67's for a matchup of the third-place teams from each conference. A standing-room-only crowd saw a tightly-checked back-and-forth battle that needed extra time to be settled. Brady Smith kicked things off with the lone tally of the opening frame, his eighth of the season. Then, Mason Vaccari and the visiting Jaeden Nelson combined for 29 saves through the scoreless 20-minute second period. The 67's catapulted from a one-goal deficit to a one-goal advantage in a span of 2:24 early in the third frame. Flint responded with a pair of tallies separated by only 1:20. First was Aspinall's 29th of the year off a one-timer setup by Urban Podrekar. Then Podrekar sniped the go-ahead goal from a wide angle, resulting in a 3-2 lead with less than nine minutes to play. The 67's tied the game late, and the 3-on-3 overtime was again highlighted by excellent goaltending. Chris Thibodeau buried the game-winner in the shootout for a 4-3 victory. In their only prior meeting this season, Flint surrendered a 3-2 shootout loss at T.D. Place.
On the same night, the Spits downed the confirmed Central Division Champion Barrie Colts 3-0 to preserve their one-point lead over the Birds in the standings.
The action resumed Sunday as the Eastern Conference's fourth-place Peterborough Petes visited Flint. The Petes led 1-0 after 20 minutes before Thibodeau scored his 16th in the middle frame, resulting in a 1-1 tie heading into the third. Peterborough struck twice just 45 seconds apart to jump to a 3-1 advantage with nearly 17 minutes remaining on the game clock. The Birds answered quickly with Jacob Battaglia's 25th. Still trailing 3-2 in the final minutes of regulation, Mason Courville was called to the bench for an extra attacker. It was the Petes, however, who found the empty cage and sealed a 4-2 road win. Peterborough's four goals were all scored with an uneven number of skaters on the ice, featuring two on the power play, one while shorthanded, and one into the empty net with a sixth man on.
Kitchener earned two points with a home-ice win over London on Sunday to reclaim a six-point advantage over Flint.
The Firebirds earned two of four points available during the week, and are now second in the West Division and third in the Western Conference. Windsor sits just one point ahead with both teams facing 14 remaining games in the campaign. Shots on goal this week favored the two visitors by a 71-66 margin. The faceoff dots also favored the opposition, this week by an 81-71 variance. Flint scored two power-play tallies on 12 chances (16.7%) while the penalty kill was successful on 10 of 13 (76.9%) shorthanded situations.
LEADERBOARD
Aspinall ranks second in points (82) and is tied for third in assists (53) in the OHL, leading the Firebirds in both categories. Kevin He leads Flint in goals-scored (34) and sits second in total points with 67. Jimmy Lombardi has 31 tallies and 32 helpers, ranking third. From the blue line, Podrekar tops the defensive scoring with ten goals and 36 helpers. Vaccari is tied for the second-most shutouts (4), holds the second-most wins (32), and has the eighth-best goals-against average at 2.66.
COMING UP
On Wednesday, the Soo Greyhounds are in town for a 7:00 p.m. puck for another 810 Wednesday, sponsored by Buffalo Wild Wings, Talk Today (Mental Health Awareness), and Genesee Health System. The team hits the road for a Friday-night clash with a familiar foe from the West Division, the Sarnia Sting. The action returns to the Dort Financial Center on Saturday as the heated battle to win the West Division heats up with a visit from the Windsor Spitfires. Saturday's game is also the club's annual Education Appreciation Night, sponsored by Sovita Credit Union and the Michigan Educational Association.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 2, 2026
- Official Storm Watch Party Saturday, March 21 vs. Erie Otters - Guelph Storm
- Barrie Colts Host Annual Country Night Saturday vs. North Bay Battalion - Barrie Colts
- Ryder Fetterolf Named Mary Brown's Chicken OHL Goaltender of the Week - Ottawa 67's
- Spitfires' Liam Greentree Named Cogeco OHL Player of the Week - Windsor Spitfires
- OHL Announces Top Performers of the Week for February 23 - March 1, 2026 - OHL
- Hounds Looking for You to Help 'Paint the Town Red' - Soo Greyhounds
- Firebirds Weekly Roundup, February 23 - March 1 - Flint Firebirds
- Home Cooking Awaits as We Enter the Final Month of Regular Season - Kingston Frontenacs
- Attack Launch Season Ticket Membership Sales for 2026-27 Season - Owen Sound Attack
- Kitchener Rangers Crowned 2026 Midwest Division Champions - Kitchener Rangers
- Barrie Colts Sign Phillip Shargorodsky - Barrie Colts
- ManchuWOK Player of the Week - Tyler Hopkins - Guelph Storm
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