OHL Flint Firebirds

Firebirds Win Third-Straight, Earned 9 of Last 12 Possible Points

Published on January 24, 2020 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


The Firebirds wrapped up their five-game road trip by defeating the defending OHL Champion Guelph Storm 7 - 5 Friday night. After trailing early in the third period, the 'Birds scored four unanswered goals late to take game one of this weekend's home-and-home series with the Storm. With the victory, the Firebirds now carry a three-game winning streak, have earned 9-of-a-possible-12 points in their past six games. Ty Dellandrea was named the game's 'First Star' for his three-point game (2G, 1A). Ethan Keppen (Vancouver Canucks), Riley Piercey, Jake Durham, and Jack Wismer each recorded two points, and Anthony Popovich made 27 saves on 32 shots in a busy night between the pipes. Flint finished a perfect one-for-one on the power play and two-for-five on the penalty-kill.

Jack Wismer was the first to light the lamp, giving Flint the lead at 11:19 of the first period. Ethan Keppen (Vancouver Canucks) took the initial shot from point-blank range, but the OHL's top goaltender Nico Daws made the save. Wismer pounced on the rebound to Daws' left and blasted it home for his 12th of the season. Defenseman Owen Lalonde picked up the second assist against his former club.

Keppen doubled the Firebirds' lead at 16:04, scoring his 16th of the season on a short-handed breakaway. Wismer's efforts in the neutral zone created a turnover, and his pass sprung Keppen all alone from the blue line in, where he pulled the puck forehand before backhanding the puck top-shelf.

A minute later, Brennan Othmann lifted a Storm defender's stick behind Daws, and slipped the puck behind the netminder for his tenth of the season at 17:06, unassisted.

First-period shots were even at 12. Faceoffs were also even at 10. Flint's second-ranked penalty kill shut down the Storm on three power-play chances, including a lengthy five-on-three. Guelph didn't take a penalty in the opening 20 minutes.

The Storm battled back and scored four unanswered goals in the middle frame. Just past the two-minute mark, Pavel Gogolev emerged on a breakaway. Popovich made the initial save, but the rebound slid to his right where Cam Hillis (Montreal Canadians) redirected it in for his 17th of the campaign, assisted by Gogolev and former Firebird Eric Uba at 2:21.

Then, Uba scored his 18th of the season at 5:00, also on a rebound just outside the crease. Daniil Chayka earned the first assist for slapping the initial shot from the right point and the second helper came from Martin Has.

Another former Firebird Fedor Gordeev (Minnesota Wild) launched a howitzer from high between the circles that Andrei Bakanov tipped in front. The result was Bakanov's ninth of the season, assisted by Gordeev and Ben McFarlane at 11:28.

Finally, Gogolev scored his 33rd on the power play at 17:55 to earn Guelph their first lead of the night. Hillis passed from the left circle to Gordeev, who was centered up high inside the blue line. Gordeev fed Gogolev in the right circle for the one-timer that beat Popovich near-side.

Second-period shots were heavily tilted in the Storm's favor 11 - 4, giving them the two-period edge of 23 - 16. The faceoff circle also belonged the Guelph in the middle frame, ending in a 13 - 6 lead. The Storm was one-for-one on the power play in period two, and Flint still hadn't received an opportunity with the man-advantage.

Uba netted his second of the night and the Storm's fifth unanswered on another power play tally at 3:17. Hillis was in the right circle and fed Gordeev perched atop the zone. Gordeev fed Uba in the left circle. Uba hesitated before launched a heavy wrister through traffic and in.

Flint received their first power-play opportunity in the fourth minute of period three. Evgeniy Oksentyuk found space on the right side of the offensive zone and shot from the inner edge of the faceoff circle. Daws made the save, but Riley McCourt attacked the rebound, lifting a wide-angle shot from the right that tucked behind the netminder and just under the crossbar for his 13th of the season, logged at 5:24.

Riley Piercey potted the game's equalizer with 5:28 to play. Tyler Tucker (St. Louis Blues) carried across the neutral zone on the left-wing side and bombed the puck deep and around the boards. Dellandrea won the foot race to the loose puck behind Guelph's cage and backhanded a pass into the slot. Jake Durham took a swing at it from the left, but Piercey finished the job from the right of the goal crease for his 15th of the season.

With just under three minutes to play in regulation, Piercey thwarted a Guelph clearing attempt at the blue line. He hit Durham all alone to the right of the net, and Daws allowed a rebound to trickle out to TY Dellandrea (Dallas Stars) at the left. The captain knocked tipped it in for his 23rd at 17:13.

Daws went to the bench for an extra Storm attacker in the waning minutes of the game, but it would only result in an empty-netter to seal the victory for Flint. Dellandrea scored it at 19:17, assisted by Jack Phibbs and Durham. Final shots were 32 - 31 favoring the Storm. Guelph won 40 draws and Flint finished with 31.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 24, 2020


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