Erie, Penn. – A night after a thrilling overtime win in Guelph gave the Flint Firebirds sole possession of First Place in the Western Conference, Flint put their seven-game road win streak to the test in Erie Saturday night to take on the Otters, a team the ‘Birds were 7-0-0 against on the year. Luke Cavallin got the start in net for Flint and it was Nolan LaLonde, who was 9-1-0 his last 10 games coming into the game, in net for Erie. However, it was the Firebirds who led from start-to-finish, winning their eighth straight road game 5-1, giving them their 12th win in their last 14 games.
The First Period saw several scoring chances to start the game, and Flint was able to cash in early. After an outlet pass from Zack Terry, Simon Slavicek made a slick move to dance around an Otter at center ice, made the defenseman fall down at the blue line, streaked in along the wall and sent one five-hole on LaLonde to make it 1-0 Flint at the 8:34 mark of the 1st Period. Samuel Assinewai picked up the secondary assist stretching his point streak to five games.
The Firebirds added another less than four minutes later. After a great steal at neutral ice by Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers), he found a cutting Zacharie Giroux who made a nifty backhand over for Riley Piercey who fired a laser home high to the glove-side of LaLonde for his 20th goal of the year at the 12:05 mark making it 2-0 Flint. Zacharie Giroux extended his point streak to six with the primary assist.
Both teams went 0-for-1 on the powerplay in the opening frame. Erie outshot Flint 12-7 and outdrew them 7-5 as well.
It didn’t take long for the Firebirds offense to keep rolling. After an Otters penalty expired, Amadeus Lombardi cycled in the far circle all the way around the net to the near-side post. He fought off Elias Cohen, then sent a no-look pass to the far post for an easy tap in for Ethan Keppen. Dmitry Kuzmin added the secondary assist to extend his point streak to five. The goal came 4:57 into the frame.
After an incredible burst of speed through the neutral zone, Lombardi had LaLonde well beaten but was hooked and awarded a penalty shot. On the ensuing opportunity, Lombardi had it poked away nicely by the Otters netminder to keep it a 3-0 Firebirds lead 7:31 into the 2nd.
The Otters quickly tilted the ice and spent several minutes cycling the Flint end and it eventually led to their second powerplay of the game. After a couple of great saves by Cavallin, the Firebirds killed it off and soon found another answer. Their first shot-on-goal since the Lombardi penalty shot had eyes. Zack Terry sent one in from on the ice and it somehow found a hole into the net making it 4-0 Flint with just under five minutes left in the period. Othmann picked up his second assist of the night and Coulson Pitre added the primary assist giving him point #34 setting the new single-season franchise rookie points record.
Erie was finally able to beat Luke Cavallin just over a minute later. After a scramble for the puck at neutral ice, it came free for a streaking Lucas Ross along the far wall. Cameron Morton crashed the near-side post all alone, received the pass and roofed it over a sliding Cavallin to make it 4-1 with 3:06 left in the 2nd. Brendan Sellan was given a secondary assist on the goal as well.
Flint maintained the 4-1 lead after 40 minutes. Shots were 8-8 in the second and face-offs were 9-6 in favor of the Otters as well.
The final period saw Erie throw the kitchen sink at the Firebirds. They outshot the Firebirds 19-4 throughout the final frame, but Luke Cavallin stood on his head and kept the Otters off the scoresheet. The Otters pulled their netminder with three minutes remaining, and after a mad scramble that saw the Firebirds have three open chances at the net, the puck ended up in the Firebirds zone behind Cavallin. Dmitry Kuzmin (Winnipeg Jets) sent the puck 200-feet in the air from behind his own goal line to ice the game 5-1. It was Kuzmin’s fifth goal in five games giving him 5 G and 2 A during his current five-game point streak.
Erie outshot Flint 39-18 and outdrew the ‘Birds 28-19, but went 0-for-5 with a man-advantage while Flint went o-for-2. Cavallin earned First Star honors and Giroux picked up Second Star, while it was Brendan Sellan given Third Star honors for Erie.
Next Up: The Firebirds head to the Soo on Wednesday night in what will be a battle for first place in the Western Conference. The Firebirds sit one point up on the Greyhounds currently for first place in both the conference and division. Flint has also played in one fewer game than the Soo. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. ET at the GFL Memorial Gardens with the FHN Pre-Game Show beginning at 6:45
Photography: Todd Boone / Flint Firebirds
For more information, contact:
You must be logged in to post a comment.