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OHL Flint Firebirds

Lombardi's Hat Trick Powers Birds to Fourth Straight Win

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


GUELPH, Ont. - Jimmy Lombardi had a hat trick, Nathan Day made 36 saves, and the Flint Firebirds scored three times in the third period to erase a 3-2 deficit as they beat the Guelph Storm, 5-3, on Friday night at the Sleeman Centre. Flint's win was its fourth in a row.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

Flint opened the scoring late in the first period when Urban Podrekar carried the puck below the net and swooped to the right circle. He flicked a wrist shot that got through to the back post where Lombardi got a stick on it. The puck caromed past Zachary Jovanovski and in, giving the Firebirds a 1-0 lead.

Guelph answered three minutes later when Rylan Singh was sprung through the neutral zone and carried the puck into the attacking end. Singh loaded up a wrist shot and beat Day low on the blocker side, evening the score at one.

The Firebirds struck again early in the second period off a won faceoff. Rylan Fellinger took a shot from the blue line that deflected off a body and found Lombardi to the right of the crease. Lombardi slid a backhander through Jovanovski to make it 2-1.

Guelph responded with a pair of second period goals. First, Max Namestnikov was sprung down the left wing and into the attacking zone. He flipped a wrist shot high past Day's blocker to tie the game. Later, the Storm put a flurry of shots on net and eventually a rebound found Namestnikov at the right circle. He fired a wrister past the lunging Day and the Storm took the lead, 3-2.

Flint answered again early in the third with Lombardi's third of the game. He carried the puck below the goal line and sent a wraparound shot past Jovanovski at the far post, securing the hat trick and evening the score at three.

The Birds then took the lead later in the third after Matthew Mania kept the puck in the attacking zone. He fired a shot that Josh Colosimo deflected from his screen in front of the net. The puck bounced past Jovanovski and in, giving Flint a 4-3 edge. The Firebirds added an empty-net goal from Kaden Pitre in the final minute of the game, securing a 5-3 win.

Flint improved to 26-27-2-3 with its fourth consecutive win while Guelph dropped to 18-30-5-4.

POSTGAME NOTES:

Jimmy Lombardi recorded his first OHL hat trick. It was also the second hat trick of the season by a Firebird, joining Sam McCue on January 30 at the Windsor Spitfires...Kaden Pitre had a goal and an assist and now has 50 points this season...Flint's four-game winning streak is its second-longest of the season...Josh Colosimo's goal was the second of his season and his OHL career.

UP NEXT:

The Firebirds will stay on the road and head to Erie for the second time this week to again take on the Otters. Puck drop at the Erie Insurance Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 28, 2025


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