Game Day: Round 1, Game 1, Firebirds at Rangers - 7 p.m.

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OHL Flint Firebirds

Game Day: Round 1, Game 1, Firebirds at Rangers - 7 p.m.

March 28, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


ROUND 1, GAME 1 - Firebirds at Rangers

Kitchener Memorial Auditorium

Kitchener, Ontario

7 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: Alex Kostov scored a shorthanded goal in the first period to give the Firebirds an early lead but the Saginaw Spirit took control from that point and went on to beat Flint, 9-2 on Sunday evening at the Dow Event Center.

SEASON SERIES: The Firebirds and Rangers met a total of four times and Flint fell in the season series, 1-1-0-2. Each of the four games were decided by just one goal and three of the four went to overtime or a shootout. Flint won the first game on October 4 in Kitchener, 2-1 in OT thanks to a game-winning-goal from Connor Clattenburg. Kitchener earned the lone regulation win, 3-2 on October 9 in Flint and the Rangers grabbed a pair of shootout wins in January. Sam McCue led the Firebirds in the season series with six points on four goals and two assists. He had two goals and an assist in two games each for the Firebirds and the Owen Sound Attack. The Rangers were paced by Trent Swick who scored four goals and added one assist in three games against Flint.

THE GOALTENDERS: Kitchener's Jackson Parsons and Flint's Nathan Day have each been workhorses for their respective teams during the 2024-25 season. Day led all OHL goalies in games played (59) and minutes (3,401) while Parsons finished third in minutes (3,082). Day became the Firebirds all-time winningest goaltender during the season and went 26-25-2-3 with a 3.07 goals against average and a .894 save percentage. Parsons led the OHL with 37 wins and five shutouts and was second in both GAA (2.24) and SV% (.920).

PLAYOFF HISTORY: The Firebirds have now qualified for the playoffs in five consecutive seasons. Flint fell to London in the first round in the 2024 OHL Playoffs. Kitchener also was beaten by London in the second round in 2024. This is the first time Flint and Kitchener have met in the postseason.

ODDS AND ENDS: Two of Flint's three overagers, Evan Konyen and Nolan Collins, have sustained season-ending injuries and will not play in the playoffs...Kitchener allows the second-fewest goals per game in the OHL (2.69)...the Rangers had been on a nine-game point streak before losing two of their final three regular season games.

UP NEXT: The Firebirds and Rangers will meet for Game 2 on Sunday afternoon in Kitchener. Puck drop is set for 2 p.m. at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium.

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics

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