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OHL Flint Firebirds

Preview: Firebirds Host Oshawa Generals in Flint Saturday

March 4, 2017 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


Preview: Firebirds Host Oshawa Generals in Flint Saturday
Preview: Firebirds Host Oshawa Generals in Flint Saturday
(Flint Firebirds)

Flint, Mich. - The Flint Firebirds have posted victories in six of their past seven games and look to continue their winning-ways Saturday night when the club hosts the Oshawa Generals for the only time this season. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. at the newly renovated Dort Federal Event Center in Flint.

With seven games remaining in the season, the Firebirds are in seventh-place in the Western Conference and trail the sixth-place Kitchener Rangers by three points. Just one point earned by the Firebirds or one point lost by the Saginaw Spirit in the next seven games would lead to the Firebirds clinching their first-ever position in the OHL Playoffs.

The Firebirds have won four of their last five home games in Flint and are 7-3-0-0 in their past 10 games overall. Flint has averaged five goals scored in each of the last six games and are currently on a three-game winning-streak.

Flint and Oshawa will meet for the second and final time this season after the Generals won the first contest in Oshawa, 5-3, on Nov. 25 (Watch Highlights).

The Firebirds are 19-9-1-1 on home-ice this season and are 6-1-1-0 in their previous eight games in Flint, Mich. The Generals lost their previous game, 3-1, against the Saginaw Spirit Friday night. Oshawa is 13-13-3-2 on the road this season and are 2-3-0-0 in the past five games away from the Tribute Communities Centre. Flint holds the ninth-ranked penalty kill in the OHL, operating at 80.8%, while Oshawa owns the sixth-best penalty kill at 82.2%. On the power-play, the Firebirds have lit-the-lamp 10 times in their past 11 contests. The Generals hold the 12th-ranked power-play at 18.5%.

Since the OHL franchise moved to Flint in September of 2015, the Firebirds are 2-1-0-0 against the Oshawa Generals and are 1-0-0-0 on home-ice. Three-time Memorial Cup Champion and current Flint Firebirds Associate Coach Eric Wellwood was a member of the Generals' Coaching staff when Oshawa won their most recent Memorial Cup in 2015.

Promotions:

Saturday's contest against the Oshawa Generals is "First Responders Night," presented by Dort Federal Credit Union. Join us in thanking all first responders for their dedication to our community. First responders with valid identification will receive $5 off of a $15 Silver Level ticket at the Dort Federal Even Center Box Office, or online at www.ticketmaster.com with promotional code 'respond'. In addition, the first 2,000 fans through the door will receive complimentary thundersticks.

Tickets are $12 for Bronze, $15 for Silver, $19 for Gold and $25 for VIP seating. 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. Early bird season tickets for the 2017-18 season may be reserved with a $50 deposit per seat. Please contact Kevin Mays for more information at (810) 744.0580 ext. 223 or kevin@flintfirebirds.com.

Players to Watch:

Flint Firebirds (32-24-1-4, 7th Western Conference):

Nick Caamano (Dallas Stars), Maurizio Colella, Ryan Moore and Kole Sherwood (Columbus Blue Jackets) are four Flint Firebirds to watch Saturday night.

Ryan Moore is fifth in OHL scoring and leads the Firebirds with 83 points (38G, 45A). Moore has 19 goals in the last 23 games.

Kole Sherwood has racked-up 45 points (19G, 27A) in his past 23 games. Sherwood recorded a 14-game point-streak from Dec. 30, 2016 to Feb. 12, 2017 and is ninth among all OHL Skaters with 76 points in 53 games this season.

Nicholas Caamano (Dallas Stars) has 23 points (14G, 9A) in the last 23 contests and has 10 goals in his past 16 games. Caamano is third on the Firebirds' roster with 29 goals and 27 assists in 60 games played.

Additionally, Maurizio Colella is in the midst of an eight-game point streak where he has tallied 13 points (6G, 7A). Colella recorded two points in the last game against the Wolves and has 17 goals and 22 assists in 58 games. Ty Dellandrea buried his 12th goal of the season last night and has 20 points in 50 games. Former Oshawa General Jalen Smereck (Arizona Coyotes) collected two points against Sudbury on Friday and has eight goals and 35 assists in 58 games this season.

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 13-12-1-2 and is statistically the 14th-best goaltender in the OHL with a 3.36 GAA along with a .892 SAV%. Connor Hicks is 18-11-0-2 and is statistically the 10th-best goaltender in the OHL with a 3.06 GAA and a .887 SAV%. Hicks made 28 saves on 30 shots in the Firebirds' 4-2 win over Sudbury on Friday.

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).

Oshawa Generals (35-21-3-2, 3rd Eastern Conference):

Leading the Generals in scoring is Domenic Commisso who has tallied 57 points in 61 games this season. Eric Henderson is second on Oshawa's scoring list and tallied a goal Friday night against in Saginaw. Henderson has 21 goals and 29 assists in 59 games played. Third on the team in points is Medric Mercier with 20 goals and 27 assists in 56 games thus far. Allan McShane is on a five-game point-streak, scoring three times and adding four assists while Jack Studnicka is on a three-game point-streak, scoring three times and recording two assists. Former Flint Firebird defenseman Alex Di Carlo wears number 37 and has played in 52 games with Oshawa since being traded on Sep. 29, 2016.

Between-the-pipes, Jeremy Brodeur, son of three-time Stanley Cup Champion and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist NHL goaltender Martin Brodeur, is 30-12-1-2 and is statistically the seventh-best goaltender in the OHL with a .918 SAV% and a 2.78 GAA. Brodeur made 35 saves on 37 shots in the Generals' 3-1 loss against the Saginaw Spirit last night. Former Firebird Kyle Keyser is 5-9-2-0 with a 3.51 GAA, along with a .889 SAV%.

Two Generals players are also ranked among the top North American skaters for the upcoming 2017 NHL Draft which takes place June 23-24. Jack Studnicka is listed #80 while Kyle Keyser is ranked No. 10 for netminder's in North America.

NHL: The lone player on the Generals roster that has been drafted by an NHL club is Riley Stillman (Florida Panthers)

20 notable Generals' alumni to play in the NHL are Jason Arnott, Eric Boulton, Joe Cirella, Cal Clutterbuck, Michael Dal Colle, Alex Delvecchio, Michael Del Zotto, Trevor Gillies, Dan Hinote, Nathan Horton, Charlie Huddy, Boone Jenner, Claude Julien, Tobias Lindberg, Eric Lindros, Ted Lindsay, Danny O'Shea, Bobby Orr, Mar Savard and John Tavares.

Broadcast Coverage:

Saturday night's contest against Oshawa 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 Oshawa on channel 10 / 510 (HD) for Rogers TV subscribers and province-wide throughout Ontario on the OHL Action Pak on channel 450 for Rogers TV cable subscribers and channel 494 for Cogeco TV 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 will host in-state rival, the Saginaw Spirit this Wednesday, Mar. 8 at the Dort Federal Event Center. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. in the sixth and final "College Night" of the season, featuring $2 beers and $2 hot dogs for all fans in attendance, including $2 off a Silver Level ticket for student's with valid identification.

Tickets are $12 for Bronze, $15 for Silver, $19 for Gold and $25 for VIP seating. 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. Early bird season tickets for the 2017-18 season may be reserved with a $50 deposit per seat. Please contact Kevin Mays for more information at (810) 744.0580 ext. 223 or kevin@flintfirebirds.com.

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics




Images from this story

Preview: Firebirds Host Oshawa Generals in Flint Saturday
Preview: Firebirds Host Oshawa Generals in Flint Saturday
   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 4, 2017


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