Preview: Firebirds Host Hamilton Tonight in Flint
January 28, 2017 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release
Flint, Mich. - After a road contest in Sarnia Friday night, the Firebirds return home for a Saturday match-up against the Hamilton Bulldogs. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. at the newly renovated Dort Federal Event Center.
The two clubs will square off for their second and final time this season. Hamilton won the first contest in a shootout 3-2 on Nov. 26 at the FirstOntario Centre (Highlights).
The Firebirds hold a 13-9-1-0 record on home-ice this season and have earned points in three of their past five games at the Dort Federal Event Center. The Bulldogs are 12-9-0-0 on the road this season. Flint's penalty kill now ranks seventh overall in the OHL, operating at 82.4%, while Hamilton's power-play is 14th in the OHL at 17.5%. Hamilton lost their last road game, 6-5, against the Saginaw Spirit on Thursday night. The Bulldogs are 6-4-0-0 in their past 10 games.
Since the Christmas break, Hamilton is 8-4-0-0, have outscored their opponents 45-31 and have the OHL's best penalty kill at 94.9%.
The Firebirds will be without Kole Sherwood (suspension) while Hamilton will be missing MacKenzie Entwistle and Matthew Strome who will be competing at the 2017 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Centre Vidéotron in Quebec City this Monday, Jan. 30.
Promotions:
As part of the on-going partnership with the Foodbank of Eastern Michigan, fans can bring in at least three canned or boxed food items to any Firebirds' home game in the month of January to receive a complimentary silver level ticket.
Saturday is also the second-annual 'Backpack' night for the Flint Firebirds. In partnership with the Foodbank of Eastern Michigan, there will be authentic custom CCM player duffle bags with a minimum cash value of $250 worth of donations inside each bag from local sponsors on the arena concourse throughout the Firebirds' game Saturday. There will be a silent auction for each of the duffle bags with the starting bid listed at $200. The duffle bags will be stitched with each Flint Firebirds player's number and last name in addition to the Firebirds' logo. A donation of $100 can feed a child for an entire school year.
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.
Players to Watch:
Flint Firebirds (21-21-1-3, 8th Western Conference):
Ryan Moore, Nicholas Caamano (Dallas Stars) and Mathieu Henderson are three Firebirds to watch Saturday night. Moore has 15 points in the last 11 games and is tied for seventh among all OHL skaters with 58 points this season. Moore has six goals in the last eight games and is currently in a tie for third most shorthanded goals scored in the OHL with three this season. Nicholas Caamano (Dallas Stars) has 11 points (6G, 5A) in the last 10 contests and is third on the Firebird's roster with 21 goals and 23 assists in 46 games played. Henderson is fifth among all defenseman in points in the OHL with 41 points (9G, 32A) in 46 games.
Additionally, Jack Phibbs scored his first OHL goal in his last game against the Sarnia Sting and has one goal and five assists in 41 games played. Hunter Holmes tallied an assist on Friday night and has four goals and six assists in 46 games this season. Jalen Smereck (Arizona Coyotes) collected an assist in his last game and has 29 points in 43 games thus far. Captain Alex Peters has racked-up 11 points (4G, 7A) in the last 10 games and has six goals and 17 assists in 45 games this journey. Kole Sherwood (Columbus Blue Jackets) will not be in the lineup as he is serving the final game of his three-game suspension.
C.J. Clarke, Samuel Duchesne, Jake Durham, Fedor Gordeev and Jack Phibbs are five first-time eligible players to be selected in the NHL Draft in June 2017.
In net, Garrett Forrest is 6-10-1-1 and has a 3.47 GAA and a .879 SAV%. Connor Hicks is 14-9-0-2 and is statistically the ninth-best goaltender in the OHL with a 3.17 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).
Hamilton Bulldogs (22-18-3-2, 4th Eastern Conference):
Although the Bulldogs will not have Strome and Entwistle, Strome leads the Bulldogs in scoring with 26 goals and 16 assists in 45 games played. Will Bitten (Montreal Canadians) is second on Hamilton's roster with 38 points (18G, 20) in 42 games this season. Third on the team in points is Michael Cramarossa who has 13 goals and 23 assists in 45 games this journey. Matt Luff signed a three-year NHL contract with the Los Angeles Kings in September and Cole Candella (Vancouver Canucks) is the third Bulldog already with NHL ties.
Four Hamilton Bulldogs are also ranked among the top North American skaters for the upcoming 2017 NHL Draft which takes place June 23-24 in Chicago. Kaden Fulcher is ranked as the 12th best North American netminder eligible for the upcoming NHL Draft while Matthew Strome (#19), Mackenzie Entwistle (#35) and Marian Studenic (#86) are ranked among North American skaters respectively. (More Info)
Between-the-pipes, Kaden Fulcher is 16-13-2-2 and is statistically the eighth best goaltender with a 3.15 GAA and a .896 SAV%. Dawson Carty is 17-7-1-1 and statistically the seventh-best goaltender in the OHL with a 3.01 GAA and a .907 SAV%. Carty made 26 saves on 32 shots on Thursday night against the Spirit.
NHL: Three players on the Bulldogs' roster have been drafted by NHL teams consisting of Will Bitten (Montreal Canadians), Cole Candella (Vancouver Canucks) and Matt Luff (Los Angeles Kings).
The Hamilton Bulldogs have 14 notable NHL players, dating back to the Belleville Bulls organization: Steve Bancroft, Jonathan Cheechoo, David Clarkson, Daniel Cleary, Doug Gilmour, Al Iafrate, Darren McCarty, Marty McSorley, Darren Pang, Richard Panik, Jason Spezza, P. K. Subban, Eric Tangradi and Scott Thornton.
Broadcast Coverage:
Saturday evening's contest against the Bulldogs 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 will begin 30 minutes prior to puck drop at 6:30 p.m. Additionally, the game will be televised live in Hamilton on Cable 14 for Cogeco TV & Rogers TV cable subscribers and throughout the province of Ontario on the OHL Action Pak on channel 456 for Rogers TV subscribers and 486 for Cogeco TV cable subscribers. Fans can also watch the game live online at www.ohllive.com or on the OHL Live App.
Next Home Game:
The Firebirds return back to the Dort Federal Event Center in Flint next Saturday, Feb. 4. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. against the Kitchener Rangers. 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.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 28, 2017
- Caamano Scores Two, Firebirds Best Hamilton 4-3 Saturday - Flint Firebirds
- Bulldogs Lose 4-3 in Flint - Brantford Bulldogs
- Otters 9, Storm 1 - Erie Otters
- IceDogs Fall to 67s 5-4 in Shootout - Niagara IceDogs
- 67's Win Throwback Thriller in OT - Ottawa 67's
- Cale Fleury Added to 2017 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game - OHL
- Preview: Firebirds Host Hamilton Tonight in Flint - Flint Firebirds
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