OHL Flint Firebirds

Othmann Scores Four Times, Hits 50 Goals, and Leads Firebirds to 6-4 Win in the Regular Season Finale

April 16, 2022 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


Flint, Mich. - The final game of the 2021-22 regular season ended with Flint on top 6-4 over the visiting Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers) recorded a four-goal performance to become the first Firebird to hit the 50-goal mark, scoring three times on the power play and once at even strength en route to 'First Star' honors for his performance. Rookie Gavin Hayes was named the 'Second Star,' earning three assists on the night. Amadeus Lombardi and Ethan Keppen (Vancouver Canucks) each scored once and assisted once, with Lombardi getting 'Third Star' accolades. For Sault Ste. Marie, Ty Anselmini, Tye Kartye (Seattle Kraken), Marco Mignosa, and Caeden Carlisle were the goal scorers. Luke Cavallin played in game number 56 of the season and earned his franchise-high 36th of the season with a 30-save performance. Across the ice, Samuel Ivanov made 32 saves on 38 shots for the Hounds.

The Firebirds were first to light the lamp, needing only 1:43 to get one past Ivanov. Zacharie Giroux intercepted a clearing attempt at the left-wing half boards and rifled the puck up to James Petrovski at the right point. Petrovski's slapper was tipped in front by Brennan Othmann for his team-leading 47th of the campaign during a five-on-five play.

The Greyhounds tied the game at one at the 8:43 mark of the first. Owen Allard's low slapshot from the top of the left circle was deflected up and over Cavallin's right pad by the blade of Ty Anselmini's stick in the slot. Anselmini's second goal of the year was assisted by Allard and Cole MacKay at even strength.

Flint struck paydirt once again before the end of the frame. Ethan Keppen carried up the left side on a three-on-two rush into the offensive zone. He passed behind the defense to Amadeus Lombardi on the right. Lombardi's shot attempt was partially blocked, causing the puck to slow and flip end-over-end toward the net. Ivanov got a piece of it, but the rubber came to rest in the blue paint behind the netminder. Keppen approached from the goalie's right and poked it across the line for his 23rd of the season at 17:05.

The Birds carried the one-goal lead into the first intermission. Shots favored the Hounds 13-11 and faceoffs ended 13-9 to Soo's advantage. Both teams went 0-for-1 with the man-advantage.

The Greyhounds tied the tilt quickly in the second period. Tye Kartye was the recipient of a loose puck high inside his offensive zone less than three minutes in. He spun and launched a rising wrister that struck twine high glove side. It was his team-leading 45th of the year, unassisted at 2:41.

Then, overage forward Robert Calisti made a breakout pass in the neutral zone that sprung Keegan McMullen and Marco Mignosa free on a two-on-one break. McMullen carried up the right, and his first pass attempt at the hash marks was blocked by the defender. The puck deflected directly back to McMullen, however, and he was able to complete the late pass across the slot to Mignosa for the short-range one-timer low to the glove side. The goal was Mignosa's 13th of the campaign, scored at 5:57 of period two.

Late in the second period, with Sault Ste. Marie still leading by one, tempers finally flared and gloves came off. The eventual result was a 5-on-3 power play for the Firebirds. With under a minute remaining in the frame, Giroux sent a bank pass off the end boards behind the Hounds' net to Gavin Hayes in the left corner. Hayes fed Othmann who was wound back and ready atop the near circle, and the ensuing blast zipped past Ivanov for his second of the night and 48th of the year at 19:04.

One of the two men in the Soo's penalty box returned, and Flint continued to skate with a 5-on-4 man advantage. Dmitry Kuzmin (Winnipeg Jets) made a cross-ice pass from the left point to Othmann at the top of the right circle. This time the Captain faked a pass before sneaking a quick wrister past his defender and under the crossbar to bring the hats to the ice. His hat trick goal came 17-seconds after his second goal, which tied the franchise record for the fastest two goals with teammate Zack Terry. Kuzmin and Hayes picked up the helpers on Othmann's second power-play goal of the period and third marker of the contest.

The Firebirds outshot the Greyhounds 14-10 in the second period, and faceoffs were even at 12 for each team. Flint scored two power-play goals on two opportunities while holding the top-ranked Soo scoreless on their lone chance.

Keppen set up the fifth goal for Flint with a snap-pass from the left-wing wall toward Lombardi in the slot. A diving defenseman redirected the pass toward Ivanov, who made the initial save with his right pad. The rebound went back out in front of him, however, and Lombardi poked it through the five-hole for his 18th of the season at 14:35.

Othmann potted his fourth of the night and third on the power play with 3:49 remaining in regulation. Gavin Hayes launched a saucer pass from the bottom of the left circle to Othmann at the bottom of the right one. Othmann's wide-angle shot sniped the far corner for his 50th of the season, assisted by Hayes and Kuzmin.

With just over a minute to play, a loose puck escaped a scrum in the corner to Cavallin's left and found its way between the circles. Caeden Carlisle leaned into a one-timer that surprised everyone and lit the lamp for the final time in the game. It was Carlisle's fifth of the year, recorded at 18:42 unassisted.

The final shots ended with the Birds on top 38-34. Flint also outdrew the Soo 35-30. On special teams, Flint finished 3-for-4 on the power play, with Othmann scoring all three of the special-teams markers. They also kept Sault Ste. Marie's top-ranked power play off the scoreboard after four opportunities with the man-advantage.

Next Up: The Firebirds' final regular-season game was tonight versus the Greyhounds. Flint clinched home-ice advantage for the first time in team history, meaning the first two games of the playoffs will be played in Flint. Their first-round opponent will be the Owen Sound Attack, with Games 1 and 2 scheduled next Friday and Saturday. Both games start at 7:00 p.m. (ET). Tickets for the first two games of the post-season are available now from ETIX.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from April 16, 2022


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