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OHL Flint Firebirds

Preview: Firebirds Host Sarnia & Peterborough in Flint this Weekend

October 9, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


The Flint Firebirds Hockey Club (3-2-0-1) returns home to the Dort Federal Event Center after a four-game road swing this weekend as the Firebirds host the Sarnia Sting on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 7:30 p.m. (ET) and the Peterborough Petes on Sunday, Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. (ET)

Tickets are $12 / Bronze, $15 / Silver and $19 / Gold and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or by visiting the Dort Federal Event Center Box Office Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. or by phone at (810) 744-0580. The Box Office opens at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday game days.

Promotions:

Prior to the games this weekend, the Firebirds will be hosting more pregame festivities beginning two hours before game time. The parties will feature a cash bar and live music from the Elizabeth Reed band. Funtastic Inflatables will offer free bounce house experiences for the kids and Hoffman's Deco Deli (Saturday) and Fuddruckers (Sunday) will have great specialty sandwiches and burgers for sale.

All fans in attendance for Saturday night's contest against the Sarnia Sting will receive a free Flint Firebirds magnet schedule upon exiting the facility.

The first 2,000 fans in attendance for Sunday's match-up against the Peterborough Petes will receive free thunderstix in addition to a free skate with the Firebirds event after the game.

Radio & TV Coverage

Fans unable to attend the games this weekend can listen live in Flint and Mid-Michigan on 1330 AM WTRX Sports Radio and worldwide online on the iHeartRadio App here. Dominic Hennig will call the play-by-play action all season long on the Flint Firebirds Hockey Radio Network with Matt Shegos adding color commentary. Pregame coverage begins 30 minutes prior to puck drop.

Saturday's home game in Flint will be televised live in Sarnia on Cogeco Channel 6 as well as across the province of Ontario on Rogers channel 440. Sunday's contest against the Peterborough Petes will be televised on Rogers channel 457. In addition, 64 of the Firebirds' 68 games throughout the 2015-16 season will be televised live across the province of Ontario on the OHL Action Pack. OHL fans with Rogers Cable in Ontario can add the OHL Action Pak to their television plan to catch the Firebirds in action, home or away all season long.

All Flint Firebirds home and away games throughout the 2015-16 season can be watched anywhere in the world online on OHL Live and 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, $179.99 for all 68 home and away Firebirds games and $279.99 for all 1,360 OHL games throughout the 2015-16 season.

Players to Watch:

Flint:

The Firebirds are lead up front in scoring by Detroit Red Wings prospect Vili Saarijärvi who has 7 assists in 6 games played this season. Will Bitten, who is eligible to be selected in the 2016 NHL Draft in June is second on the team with two goals and four assists for six points in as many games played. Zach Grzelewski leads the team in goals with three in six games while adding one helper for four points.

There are five players on the Flint Firebirds roster that are drafted in the National Hockey League. Alex Nedeljkovic and Josh Wesley were both selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2014 NHL Draft. In the same draft, the New Jersey Devils tabbed Connor Chatham while Alex Peters was chosen by the Dallas Stars. Most recently, Vili Saarijärvi was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings this past June in the 2015 NHL Draft.

Sarnia:

The Sarnia Sting enter the contest Saturday night with a (3-2-0-0) record. Troy Lageunesse leads Sarnia in scoring and points with four goals and one assist totaling five points this season. Jakob Chychryn, Nikita Korostelev and Jeff King are tied for second on the Sting's roster with four points in five games.

Sarnia's Jakob Chychrun, Jordan Kyrou and Connor Schlichting are identified players on the NHL's Central Scouting Service (CSS) preliminary rankings for the upcoming NHL Draft in June. Noah Bushness (St. Louis), Hayden Hodgson (New York), Josh Jacobs (New Jersey), Nikita Korostelev (Toronto), Brandon Lindberg (New York), Connor Schlichting (Chicago), Kevin Spinozzi (Arizona) and Pavel Zacha (New Jersey) represented the eight Sting players in NHL Training Camps last month.

Peterborough:

Peterborough has a 3-3-0-0 record and is lead by Greg Betzold who is tied for second in the OHL in goals scored with five lamplighters on the year in six games played. After Betzold, Eric Cornel is next in line for points on the Petes' roster with four points for one goal and three assists.

The Petes had seven of their skaters compete in NHL Training Camps in September consisting of Eric Cornel (Buffalo), Kyle Jenkins (Carolina), Cameron Lizotte (Toronto), Steve Lorentz (Carolina), Matt Mancina (Detroit), Dominik Masin (Tampa Bay) and Matt Spencer (Tampa Bay).

O Captain! My Captain!

Alex Peters (Dallas '14) has been selected as the first captain in Flint Firebirds franchise history. Cullen Mercer, Zack Pittman and Connor Sills make up the three alternate captains for the Flint Firebirds as the club embarks on their inaugural campaign in the Ontario Hockey League.

Special Teams

The Firebirds' power-play is 15 out of 20 teams in the OHL operating at a 14.3% success-rate scoring three goals on 21 opportunities. However, in Flint, the Firebirds are operating at 33% scoring both of their regulation goals on the man-advantage on Sept. 26. On the penalty-kill, the Firebirds are 12th out of 20 teams in the league successfully killing at 80%. Flint has scored one shorthanded goal through 20 tries this season.

Successful Opening Night

Saturday, Sept. 26 was one for the history books for Flint & Genesee County and hockey fans alike. The capacity crowd of more than 4,000 Flint Firebirds fans were sent home happy after having the opportunity to watch almost everything that a hockey game has to offer: A lead, a deficit, a comeback, a 3-on-3 overtime, a shootout, a home team victory and a postgame stick salute from the players. It was a night that many will never forget.

Next Home Game

After this weekend, the Firebirds will return home to the Dort Federal Event Saturday on Friday, Oct. 16 for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop against the Ottawa 67's. Ottawa had 8 players attend NHL Training Camps in september consisting of Jeremiah Addison (Montreal), Connor Craham (New York), Liam Herbst (San Jose), Travis Konecny (Philadelphia), Alex Lintuniemi (Los Angeles), Jacob Middleton (Los Angeles), Dante Salituro (Columbus), and Sam Studnicka (Montreal).

Season Tickets

Great season seat locations are still available! For more information, call the Dort Federal Event Center Box Office at (810) 744-0580 or email Grizz Houghten at grizz@flintfirebirds.com or Shane Stout at shane@flintfirebirds.com.

Group Ticket Packages

New group ticket packages are available for your needs. Whether you're entertaining corporate clients, celebrating a special occasion, having a fun night out with the family and friends or rewarding employees...we have a fun, easy and affordable plan for you. It's more than a ticket, it's an experience! Contact Shane Stout to book your group outing today: (810) 742-2004 or via email at shane@flintfirebirds.com.

Flint Firebirds Hockey Radio Coach's Show

Join the Voice of the Firebirds Dominic Hennig and Head Coach John Gruden from 6-7 p.m. every Tuesday night on 1330 WTRX Sports Radio and around the world online on the iHeartRadio App here. Hennig and Gruden recap the previous week of events, preview the upcoming games on the ice and take your phone calls, emails and tweets! Tune in each Tuesday from 6-7 p.m. on 1330 AM WTRX Sports Radio.

Firebirds Gear

Stop by the Flint Firebirds Merchandise Store at the Dort Federal Event Center, Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. to stock up on the best Firebirds' gear around. Jerseys, shirts, hats, hoodies, game pucks, mouse pads and other accessories and collectables are available at the Flint Firebirds Merchandise Store.

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 9, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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