OHL Flint Firebirds

Preview: Firebirds Battle the Battalion Thursday in North Bay

Published on December 8, 2016 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


North Bay, Ont. - The Flint Firebirds continue their six game road-swing Thursday night as the club faces off against the North Bay Battalion, beginning another three games in three nights weekend. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at the North Bay Memorial Gardens (capacity 4,043).

Game 29: Flint Firebirds (14-12-0-2) vs. North Bay Battalion (14-12-2-0)

Date | Time Thursday, Dec. 8 | 7:00 p.m.

Location North Bay, Ont. | North Bay Memorial Gardens (capacity 4,043)

Tickets Online | (705) 495-8603, ext. 2700

TV - Cogeco channel 12/700 HD (North Bay)

- OHL Action Pak: Rogers 437 & Cogeco 478 (Ontario)

Video Stream OHL Live

Radio WTRX 1330-AM (Flint & Mid-Michigan) | Pregame Show: 6:30p

Radio (Mobile) Sports Xtra 1330 App: Android | iPhone/iPad

Live Stats Here

Social Media @FlintFirebirds | Facebook | Instagram

Both the Firebirds and the Battalion enter Thursday night's contest with near identical records as North Bay is 14-12-2-0 and is in second-place in the Eastern Conference. The Firebirds are 14-12-0-2 but are in eighth-place in the Western Conference.

The Firebirds have a 3-7-1-1 record on the road, but they hold an impressive record at home where they are 5-2-0-0 in their past seven games in Flint and 11-5-0-0 overall at the Dort Federal Event Center. The Battalion are 2-3-0-0 in their last five games, and hold a 5-8-1-0 record on home ice. North Bay has allowed the fifth-most goals against this season with 110, while Flint has allowed the 10th most goals against with 96.

Flint has scored at least one power-play goal in each of their last six games, improving five spots in the league from 20th to 15th on the man-advantage, operating at a 15.3% conversion rate. North Bay is 18th at 14.5%. The Firebirds have also faired well on the penalty kill as of late, only allowing one goal in the last four games, successfully killing 17 of their last 18 penalties. The Battalion are 17th on the penalty kill at 78.1%.

The two clubs will meet for the first time this season after North Bay won both meetings last season. The Battalion won the first game on Nov. 29, 6-3 in North Bay, before winning the final meeting 8-2 in Flint on Mar. 6.

Players to Watch:

Flint Firebirds (14-12-0-2, 8th Western Conference):

Ryan Moore has 12 points in his last nine games and is seventh among all OHL skaters with 40 points. Moore is currently in a three-way tie for second most shorthanded goals scored in the OHL with three this season. Nicholas Caamano (Dallas Stars) collected one goal and one assist in the last game, Sunday afternoon against the London Knights. Caamano has 14 goals and 17 assists in 28 games this season. Kole Sherwood (Columbus Blue Jackets) tallied two points against the Knights and has 10 goals and 17 assists in 24 games played. Mathieu Henderson leads all OHL defensemen in points and is second on the Flint roster in scoring with seven goals and 25 assists. Henderson is also tied for second in game-winning goals among all OHL defenseman with two, and has four points in his three five contests.Everett Clark was scoreless in his last game, but recorded a point in his previous nine games. Clark has eight goals and 11 assists in 25 games this season. Jalen Smereck (Arizona Coyotes) has four goals and 14 assists in 25 games played.

Samuel Duchesne, Jake Durham, Fedor Gordeev and Jack Phibbs are first-time eligible players to be selected in the NHL Draft in June 2017.

In net, Garrett Forrest is 6-7-0-0 this season and is the 11th-best goaltender statistically in the OHL with a 3.26 GAA and a .892 SAV%. Forrest played in the Firebirds' most recent game Sunday in London, in front of more than 9,000 fans, and made 28-of-34 saves. Forrest was acquired in a trade with North Bay in August and played for the Battalion's junior "A" affiliate, the Powassan Voodoos in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) last year. Connor Hicks is 7-4-0-2 and statistically the ninth-best goaltender in the league with a 3.19 GAA and a .882 SAV%.

NHL: The Firebirds currently have two players that have signed contracts with NHL clubs. Forward Kole Sherwood signed a three-year NHL contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets (July 2015) and defenseman Jalen Smereck signed a three-year NHL contract with the Arizona Coyotes (October 2016). Flint's Nicholas Caamano was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the most recent NHL Draft in June 2016. Along with Caamano, Sherwood and Smereck, four more Flint Firebirds competed in NHL training camps this fall: Everett Clark (St. Louis Blues), Connor Hicks (Detroit Red Wings), Luke Kirwan (Detroit Red Wings) and Alex Peters (Carolina Hurricanes).

North Bay Battalion (14-12-2-0, 2nd Eastern Conference):

The leading point-getter for the Battalion is Brett McKenzie (Vancouver Canucks) with 13 goals and 19 assists in 27 games played. Second on North Bays' roster is Steve Harland who is riding a seven-game point streak and has recorded eight points during that streak. Harland has 16 goals and 14 assists in 28 games. Defenseman Adan Thilander recorded a point in his last game and is third on the teams' scoring list with three goals and 13 assists is 24 games played.

Between-the-pipes, although currently injured, former Firebird Brent Moran is 10-9-1-0 and has played in 22 of the teams' 28 games. Moran has a 3.54 GAA and a .890 SAV%. Julian Sime is 1-1-0-0 and played in the Battalions' last game. Sime made 23 saves on 28 shots and has a 4.44 GAA, along with a .855 SAV%.

NHL: Five players on the Battalion roster have been drafted by NHL teams consisting of Riley Bruce (Calgary Flames), Cam Dineen (Arizona Coyotes), Brett McKenzie (Vancouver Canucks), Brent Moran (Dallas Stars) and Mark Shoemaker (San Jose Sharks).

Broadcast Coverage:

Thursday night's contest against the Battalion can be heard live on 1330 AM WTRX Sports Radio in Flint & Mid-Michigan and around the world online on the Sports Xtra 1330 Radio app here. Pregame coverage with Dominic Hennig will begin 35 minutes prior to puck drop at 6:30 p.m. Additionally, the game will be televised live in North Bay on channel 12/700 (HD) for Cogeco TV cable subscribers and throughout the province of Ontario on the OHL Action Pak on channel 437 for Rogers TV & channel 478 Cogeco TV cable subscribers (Broadcast Information). Fans can also watch the game live online at www.ohllive.com or on the OHL Live App.

Next Home Game:

The Firebirds next home game is Wednesday Dec. 28th at 7 p.m. against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Wednesday's game is College Night featuring $2 beers & $2 hot dogs for all fans in attendance. In addition, college student's with valid I.D. receive $2 off their tickets. Flint is then home again on Friday, Dec. 30th against the Saginaw Spirit for Star Wars Night also at 7 p.m.. Star Wars Night will feature a live jersey auction immediately following the game.

Single game tickets for the Flint Firebirds 2016-17 season are $12 for Bronze, $15 for Silver, $19 for Gold and $25 for VIP seating. Prices are unchanged from last season and all seats are reserved / assigned seating. Parking has been reduced to $5 dollars which is new this season. Fans can purchase tickets at the Dort Federal Event Center Box Office or online by clicking ticketmaster.com.

Flint Firebirds Hockey Club

Member of the Ontario Hockey League

3501 Lapeer Road, Flint, Michigan 48503 www.flintfirebirds.com

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 8, 2016


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