Kingston, Ont. – Exactly one month after the Frontenacs defeated the Firebirds 3-1 at the Dort Financial Center, the clubs clashed again at Leon’s Centre. The game was tied at one after the first and then tied again at two after the second period. The Firebirds scored two in the final frame for the 4-2 road victory, earning four out of a possible six points in their three-game road trip through the Eastern Conference. Gavin Hayes (Chicago Blackhawks) scored half of Flint’s goals, while Dmitry Kuzmin (Winnipeg Jets) had a goal and an assist and both Amadeus Lombardi (Detroit Red Wings) and Ethan Hay chipped in a pair of assists. Will Cranley (St. Louis Blues) posted made 29 saves on 31 shots faced for his tenth win of the year, while Ivan Zhigalov (Colorado Avalanche) posted 24 saves backstopping the Frontenacs.
The Birds and the Fronts played a fairly even opening frame, with shots ending even at 11 per side, faceoffs slightly favoring Kingston 10-9, and both clubs going 0-for-2 with the man advantage. They also each scored one goal while shorthanded. First, it was Ethan Hay with a centering pass to Dmitry Kuzmin (Winnipeg Jets) at 8:06, assisted by both Hay and Tyler Deline. Then, it was Paul Ludwinski (Chicago Blackhawks) lighting the lamp at 12:55 on a shorthanded breakaway, assisted by Petoskey, Mich. native Thomas Budnick. It was Kuzmin’s sixth of the season and goal number two of the year for Ludwinski.
Kingston claimed their first lead of the afternoon with an even-strength marker at 5:31 of period two. Ben Roger (Ottawa Senators) fed Jackson Stewart at the bottom of the right for a heavy one-timer. Cranley got a pad on the shot, but the momentum carried it past the equipment and across the goal line for Stewart’s second of the campaign.
The Birds fought back to tie it at 19:00 when Gavin Hayes (Chicago Blackhawks) carried in on the powerplay and let go of a snapshot atop the circle that went in off the iron, off Zhigalov and in. It was Hayes’ 13th of the campaign, knotting the game at a pair.
Shots in the middle frame ended at a distinct Kingston advantage of 11-3. Flint’s advantage in faceoffs was 13-7. The Birds scored on their lone power-play opportunity in the center stanza, while holding the Fronts scoreless in one try.
The Firebirds would go on to score twice in the third to secure the 4-2 victory. Dmitry Kuzmin set up the first tally when he carried through the left circle and led Coulson Pitre with a set-up pass across the slot. Pitre’s one-timer went behind Zhigalov for goal number ten of the season at 13:46, assisted by Kuzmin and Lombardi. Then Artem Guryev (San Jose Sharks) let a clapper go from the point that Zhigalov kicked out right to Gavin Hayes who one-timed home his second of the day at 17:26, putting the game out of reach. Hayes’ 14th of the season was assisted by Guryev and Hay.
Final shots were 31-28 in favor of the Fronts while faceoffs were 31-28, advantage Birds. Both teams had three power-play chances in total, with Flint scoring the lone goal with the extra man.
Story: Brandon Mills / flintfirebirds.com
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