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OHL Flint Firebirds

Peer, Spitfires, Take out Firebirds in Windsor, 6-3

December 10, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


WINDSOR, Ont. - Nolan Dann scored his 50th OHL goal and both Braeden Kressler and Jeremy Martin lit the lamp but it wasn't enough as the Flint Firebirds were beaten by the Windsor Spitfires, 6-3, on Sunday afternoon at the WFCU Centre. Windsor's Oliver Peer picked up a natural hat trick and former Firebirds goaltender Ian Michelone made 47 saves to backstop Windsor to the win.

Peer dominated the first period and recorded a natural hat trick within the opening 20 minutes of play. It began just over six minutes into the game as Peer put a forehand-to-backhand move on and slid the puck between the legs of Nathan Day. He struck again near the midway point of the game after being fed cutting to the net. Then, on the game's first power play, Peer received a point-to-point pass from Anthony Cristoforo to his left and blasted a one-timer past Day's blocker and in, pushing the Windsor lead to 3-0.

In the seventh minute of the second period, Nathan Aspinall found Reed Gee at the left point. Gee fired a shot from the point that Michelone kicked to his right. Martin picked it up and carried it into the blue paint before tucking it between the wickets of Michelone to pull his Firebirds within a pair.

The Spits lead was stretched to three again Valentin Zhugin cycled across the high slot and around the left-wing circle and slipped a short pass to Ryan Abraham in the slot. The Livonia, Michigan native snapped a one-timer that beat Day far side and made the score 4-1 with under three to play in the middle frame.

In the third minute of the third period, Peer won a sprint to a loose puck in the left-wing offensive corner. He fed Liam Greentree between the circles, who lifted a backhander glove side for the 5-1 edge.

A turnover deep in the Windsor zone resulted in a quick snapshot from Nolan Dann at the inner edge of the right circle. The puck squeezed between Michelone's left shoulder and the near post, making the score 5-2.

Inside the final ten minutes of regulation, Kressler won an offensive-zone draw to Gavin Hayes at the outer edge of the left circle. Hayes carried across the circle and snapped a shot from the left hash marks. Michelone kicked it away but Kressler wristed the rebound past him high to the blocker side to pull Flint within two.

Day was pulled for the extra attacker near the 90-second mark, but it was Greentree earning his second as he carried into the empty net with 57 seconds remaining to secure the 6-3 home win for the Spitfires.

Flint outshot Windsor, 50-28, and set a new season high for both shots in a game and shots in a period with 23 in the second. The Firebirds dropped to 13-13-2-1 in the loss while the Spitfires improved to 9-19-1-0.

Flint will play three games in three nights later in the week, beginning with the next installment of the Coors Light I-75 Divide Cup on Thursday in Saginaw. Puck drop at the Dow Event Center is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 10, 2023


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