OHL Flint Firebirds

Preview: Firebirds & Greyhounds Meet in Flint Friday

Published on November 21, 2019 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


Soo Greyhounds (13-8-0-0) at Flint Firebirds (9-12-1-0)

Date | Time Friday, November 22nd | 7:00 p.m.

Location Flint, Mich. | Dort Federal Event Center (Directions)

Tickets Ticketmaster.com | (810) 744-0580

Promotions - Firebirds' 4-pack Friday:

- 4 Tickets

- 4 Hot Dogs

- 4 Sodas

- Just $60

TV - OHL Action Pak: Rogers TV 466 & Cogeco TV 466 Live (Ontario)

- Broadcast Information

Video Stream - TV Pregame Show (6:30pm)

- OHL Live

Radio WQUS 103.1 FM (Flint & Mid-Michigan) | Pregame Show: 6:30p

Radio (Mobile) US 103 App: Android | iPhone/iPad

Social Media @FlintFirebirds   | Facebook  | Instagram 

Flint, Mich. - The Firebirds are back in action Friday night to host the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. (ET) at the Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center (capacity 4,400) in Flint.

Sault Ste. Marie enters Saturday's tilt with a season record of 9-13-1-0. The Greyhounds are 3-8-0-0 in road games. In their last ten games, the Soo is 3-7-0-0. The Firebirds carry an overall record of 13-8-0-0 and are 8-3-0-0 on home ice. In battles against West-Division opponents at home this season, Flint has a record of 3-1-0-0. In the past ten contests, the 'Birds are 5-5-0-0.

Friday night marks the fourth of six regular-season meetings between these clubs this campaign, and the final time they'll meet in Flint. All-time, Flint is 8-18-1-0 against the Greyhounds and is 5-8-1-0 at home vs. the Soo. Last season, the 'Birds finished with a record of 2-4-0-0 against the 'Hounds, and were 2-1-0-0 at the Dort Federal Event Center in the series.

In the very first regular-season game for both teams, the Greyhounds skated to a 6 - 3 victory in Sault Ste. Marie. Their first meeting in Flint was October 26, when a pair of Jack's led Flint's offense to 4 - 1 victory, backstopped by Luke Cavallin. Jack Phibbs scored twice and Jack Wismer had a three-point night (1G, 2A). In their most recent meeting on November 9, the 'Birds defeated the Soo 3 - 2 in front of more than 3,500 fans at the Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center. That night, Jake Durham, Cody Morgan and Ethan Keppen (Vancouver Canucks) lit the lamp for the home team and Anthony Popovich earned the victory between the pipes.

On Wednesday night, the Firebirds skated to a 6 - 4 defeat in Sarnia. Ty Dellandrea (Dallas Stars) logged his first hat trick of the season and moved into first place all-time for the Firebirds with his 73rd career goal, passing Ryan Moore and now leading the franchise in goals, assists and total points. Jake Durham extended his point streak to six games (3G, 5A) with a goal and an assist. Riley McCourt earned four assists and Evgeniy Oksentyuk had three helpers in the contest. Anthony Popovich made 34 saves on 39 shots, but a late empty-net goal propelled the Sting to the victory. The 'Hounds played Thursday night and dropped a 6 - 3 decision to the Spitfires in Windsor.

On special teams this season, the Firebirds are converting on the power play at a rate of 15.7%. The Greyhounds rank 14th in the OHL, scoring at a 20.2% clip. Sault Ste. Marie is killing penalties at a rate of 73.7%, which is 16th-best in the OHL. Flint's penalty-killers rank tenth overall at a 76.7% efficiency. On home ice this season, the Firebirds have the OHL's second-best penalty-kill, operating at a success rate of 87.5%.

Promotions:

Friday's game is a Firebirds' 4-pack Friday featuring 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs and 4 soft drinks starting at just $60!  Firebirds 4 Pack packages are only available for Friday games in advance of game day. For more information, contact the Dort Federal Event Center Box Office by calling (810) 744-0580 or by emailing mary@dorteventcenter.com.

Single game tickets for all Firebirds games are $12 Bronze, $16 Silver, $20 Gold and $26 VIP seating (Seating Chart). All seats are reserved / assigned seating. Fans can purchase tickets by calling (810) 744-0580, in-person at the Dort Federal Event Center Box Office or online at ticketmaster.com here.

Players to Watch:

Flint Firebirds (13-8-0-0, 3rd West Division):

A trio of forwards lead the Firebirds in scoring with 11 goals each. Evgeniy Oksentyuk has 15 assists for 26 total points through 21 games-played, has seven points (3G, 4A) in his last three contests. Ty Dellandrea has 12 helpers for 23 points in 19 games. Jake Durham has 10 assists and 21 points in 21 games. He is currently fourth in total goals-scored by any Flint player at 64, which is only three behind former-Firebird Nick Caamano in third with 67. Durham rides a six-game (3G, 5A) point streak into Friday's game.

Defenseman Riley McCourt is averaging just under a point per game with six goals and 14 assists for 20 points through 21 games. His six goals are tied for fifth-most among OHL defensemen, and his 20 total points are tied for seventh-most among the league's rearguards. Brennan Othmann leads all first-year players for the 'Birds with nine total points, which is tied for 10th-most among the league's rookies. Othmann's five tallies have him tied for fifth in the freshman class.

Between the pipes, Anthony Popovich has played in 14 games this season. His eight victories are tied for sixth-most in the OHL. He also ranks inside the top-ten starting OHL goaltenders with a save-percentage (SAV%) of .899, and he carries a goals-against average (GAA) of3.49. 3.34. Luke Cavallin now has five wins in eight appearances, and he carries a 3.56 GAA with a .901 SAV%.

NHL: The Firebirds have four players with NHL ties consisting of Dennis Busby (Arizona Coyotes), Ty Dellandrea (Dallas Stars), Ethan Keppen (Vancouver Canucks), and Vladislav Kolyachonok (Florida Panthers). In addition, Evan Vierling was named to the 2020 NHL Central Scouting 'Players to Watch' list.

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (9-13-1-0, 5th West Division):

Tye Kartye and Jaromir Pytlik players are tied atop the stat sheet with nine goals and 15 assists for 24 points in 23 games. Kartye is tied for second in the OHL in plus/minus at a +18 and is on a four-game point streak (4G, 5A). Rory Kerins leads the club in goals-scored with eleven and has 12 assists and is tied with Cole MacKay with 23 points. MacKay has ten goals and 13 assists.

Billy Constantinou leads the blue-line corps with 14 points (5G, 9A) in 21 contests. First-year forward Tanner Dickinson leads the 'Hounds' freshman class with 15 total points, which is third-most among the league's rookies. His 13 assists have him tied for first in the same category.

Ethan Taylor has made ten appearances and has a GAA of 3.68 along with a .857 SAV%. Taylor has two victories this season. Bailey Brkin was acquired in a trade from Kingston last week. For the season, Brkin has three wins in four games-played, and carries a 3.00 GAA with a .898 SAV%.

NHL: The Greyhounds have two players with NHL ties, Barrett Hayton (Arizona Coyotes) and defenseman Jacob LeGuerrier (Montreal Canadiens). Hayton remains on the Coyotes' roster and hasn't played a game with the 'Hounds yet this year. Additionally, Ryan O'Rourke, Jaromir Pytlik, Tanner Dickinson, Rory Kerins and Cole MacKay were listed on the 2019 NHL Central Scouting October 'Players to Watch' list for the upcoming 2020 NHL Draft.

25 notable Greyhounds' alumni to play in the NHL are Wayne Gretzky, Jeff Beukeboom, Bob Boughner, Jeff Carter, Dan Clouthier, Paul Coffey, Trevor Daley, Ray Emery, Adam Foote, Ron Francis, Craig Hartsburg, Ric Jackman, Dustin Jeffrey, Tyler Kennedy, Denny Lambert, Greg Millen, Ted Nolan, Nathan Perrott, Bob Probert, Wayne Simmons, Brad Staubitz, Steve Sullivan, Joe Thornton, Rick Tocchet, John Vanbiesbrouk, and Josef Vasick.

Broadcast Coverage:

Friday evening's contest against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds can be heard live on the radio throughout Flint & Mid-Michigan on US 103.1 FM, online at www.us103.com or by downloading the US 103 app here. Firebirds' broadcaster Dominic Hennig will call the play-by-play action on the Firebirds Hockey Network (FHN). Pregame coverage will begin 30 minutes prior to puck drop at 6:30 p.m. New this season, fans can watch the FHN TV Pregame Show live on Facebook and Twitter, also beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The game will be televised across the province of Ontario on the OHL Action Pak on channel 466 for both Rogers TV and Cogeco TV cable subscribers. OHL fans with cable television in Ontario can add the OHL Action Pak to their television plan to catch the Firebirds in action, home or away all season long. Along with Friday's game, 65 of the Firebirds' 68 games throughout the 2019-20 season are also scheduled to be televised live across the province of Ontario on the OHL Action Pak.

All Flint Firebirds home and away games throughout the 2019-20 season can be watched anywhere in the world online on www.ohllive.com or on the OHL Live app. OHL Live is a league video streaming platform that delivers high quality live and on-demand coverage of all regular season and playoff games annually. The cost is $6.99 per game, $69.99 for Flint Firebirds away games only, $149.99 for all 68 home and away Firebirds games and $179.99 for all 1,360 OHL games throughout the 2019-20 season.

Next Home Game:

After the Firebirds host the Greyhounds Friday, Flint will take on the Owen Sound Attack Saturday at the Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.

Saturday is the Firebirds' Education Staff Appreciation Night, featuring complimentary Silver Level tickets for all administrators, teachers and staff with valid identification, courtesy of Sovita Credit Union and Michigan Education Association. Discounted tickets at $10 are available for family members who accompany the education professionals. Tickets must be picked up at the Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center Box Office.

Single game tickets for all Firebirds games are $12 Bronze, $16 Silver, $20 Gold and $26 VIP seating (Seating Chart). All seats are reserved / assigned seating. Fans can purchase tickets by calling (810) 744-0580, in-person at the Dort Federal Event Center Box Office or online at ticketmaster.com.

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 21, 2019


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