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OHL Flint Firebirds

Preview: Firebirds Look to Continue Winning Ways in Flint Tonight vs. Owen Sound

November 18, 2016 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Flint Firebirds News Release


Preview: Firebirds Look to Continue Winning Ways in Flint Tonight vs. Owen Sound
Preview: Firebirds Look to Continue Winning Ways in Flint Tonight vs. Owen Sound
(Flint Firebirds)

Game 22: Flint Firebirds (12-8-0-1) vs. Owen Sound Attack (11-10-1-0)

Date | Time

Friday, Nov. 18 | 7:00 p.m.

Location

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

Tickets

Ticketmaster.com | (810) 744-0580

Promotions

- Firebirds 4 Pack

- $10,000 shootout

TV

- Rogers cable ch. 53 (Owen Sound)

- OHL Action Pak: cable ch. 442 (Ontario)

Video Stream

OHL Live

Radio

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

Radio (Mobile)

Sports Xtra 1330 App: Android | iPhone/iPad

Live Stats

Here

Game Notes

Here (Coming Soon)

Social Media

@FlintFirebirds | Facebook | Instagram

Flint, Mich. - The Flint Firebirds return back to action in Flint Friday night as the club hosts the Owen Sound Attack. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. (ET) at the newly renovated Dort Federal Event Center.

The Firebirds have won five of their previous six games and earned victories in their past three contests after they bested the Sarnia Sting 3-1 on Thursday night in Flint. The defenseman led the charge against the Sting where they scored all three goals for the Firebirds. Jalen Smereck scored for the second consecutive game, the captain Alex Peters scored his first goal of the season and Fedor Gordeev scored his first goal in a Firebirds' uniform. Flint remains hot on home ice where they hold an impressive 9-3-0-0 record.

In the most recent game between the two clubs, Flint's Garrett Forrest recorded his first career shutout in his first OHL game where he stopped all 27 shots en-route to a 2-0 victory on Sep. 24 at the Dort Federal Event Center. The Firebirds are two points ahead of Owen Sound in the Western Conference standing's, despite playing in one less game. Flint is in seventh place with 25 points in 21 games and Owen Sound is in eight place with 23 points in 22 games.

Owen Sound is coming off a 3-2 victory in overtime against the Windsor Spitfires last night where Petrus Palmu scored 36 second into the extra frame. The Attack have a road record of 5-8-0-0 when they're away from the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre. Owen Sounds' penalty kill is fourth best in the OHL, operating at 85.9%.

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. Fans can purchase tickets at the Dort Federal Event Center Box Office or online by clicking ticketmaster.com.

Players to Watch:

Flint Firebirds (12-8-0-1, 7th Western Conference):

Jalen Smereck (Arizona Coyotes) has scored in two consecutive games for the Firebirds. Smereck has two goals and 11 assists in 18 games this campaign. Fedor Gordeev scored his first goal in a Firebirds' uniform against Sarnia last night and has four points in 19 games played. Forward Ryan Moore is the teams' leading scorer and tallied two assists in his last game. Moore is sixth on the OHL scoring list with 32 points and is in a three-way tie for the most shorthanded goals scored with three this season. Nicholas Caamano (Dallas Stars) is second on the Firebirds' roster with nine goals and 15 assists in 21 games played. Mathieu Henderson, who was tabbed as the OHL's Defenseman of the Month for October, leads all defenseman in points and is third on the team in scoring with six goals and 17 assists. Henderson picked-up an assist in his last game against Sarnia and is tied for second in game-winning-goals for defenseman with two. Kole Sherwood (Columbus Blue Jackets) has seven goals and 13 assists in 17 games played.

Despite playing eight less games than the OHL's leading rookie in points, Greg Miereles (Kitchener) with 19 in 20 games played, Ty Dellandrea is still ranked 13th among all OHL rookies with 9 points (5G, 4A) in 12 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, Connor Hicks earned his second consecutive victory between-the-pipes for Flint. Hicks now holds a 5-3-0-1 record with a 3.80 GAA and a .862 SAV%. Garrett Forrest is 6-4-0-0 on the season and is currently the OHL's sixth best goaltender with a 2.72 GAA and a .912 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).

Owen Sound Attack (11-10-1-0, 8th Western Conference):

Petrus Palmu is 10th among OHL scorers and leads the Attack in scoring with 15 goals and 12 assists in 21 games played after scoring the game-winning-goal in overtime against the Windsor Spitfires last night. Palmu also leads the OHL in game-winning goals with six this season. Second on Owen Sounds' roster is Nick Suzuki who is 16th in the OHL with 10 goals and 15 assists in 22 games. Suzuki also leads the OHL with three shorthanded goals. Kevin Hancock tallied an assist last night and now has six goals and 12 assists in 22 games. Maksim Sushko is third among all OHL rookies with 14 points (9G, 5A) in 20 games this season.

Between-the-pipes, Michael McNiven (Montreal Canadiens) is 9-5-1-0 on the season and is currently the OHL's third best goaltender with a 2.38 GAA and a .916 SAV%. McNiven played in the Attacks' last game Thursday night and made 21 saves on 23 shots in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Windsor Spitfires. Emanuel Vella is 3-2-0-1 this season with a 3.12 GAA and a .885 SAV%.

NHL: Owen Sound has three players that have been drafted by NHL clubs: Jacob Friend (Los Angeles Kings), Michael McNiven (Montreal Canadians), Matt Schmalz (Los Angeles Kings).

Broadcast Coverage:

Friday evening's contest against the Attack 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 Owen Sound on channel 53 / 700 (HD) for Cogeco TV cable subscribers and throughout the province of Ontario on the OHL Action Pak on channel 442 for cable TV subscribers. Fans can also watch the game live online at www.ohllive.com or on the OHL Live App.

Check out the Flint Firebirds Statistics




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Preview: Firebirds Look to Continue Winning Ways in Flint Tonight vs. Owen Sound
Preview: Firebirds Look to Continue Winning Ways in Flint Tonight vs. Owen Sound
   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 18, 2016


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