Flint, Mich. – More than 3,800 fans from both cities packed the Dort Financial Friday evening to see Game 4 of the I-75 Divide Cup, presented by Coors Light. The Firebirds battled from behind several times to keep pace with the West-Division-leading Spirit, but two late empty-net goals resulted in the eventual 7-4 defeat. Coulson Pitre and Westland, Mich. native Gavin Hayes scored twice to lead the charge for Flint. Will Cranley started in net for Flint and posted 29 saves on 35 shots faced. For the Spirit, Tristan Lennox got the nod in goal and earned his 15th victory with a 19-save performance.
Saginaw controlled the tempo for much of the first period. After taking the early 10-2 advantage in shots, the Spirit got on the scoreboard at 9:37 of the first period. Nic Sima fed PJ Forgione from the right-wing corner to his post at the left point. Forgione made a couple of strides and wristed the puck into traffic. Cranley got a piece of the puck, but it managed to trickle across the goal line for Forgione’s third of the season, assisted by Sima and Luke McNamara.
The Birds fought back and tied the game three minutes later. Tristan Bertucci sent the puck off the end boards to the left of Lennox, where it bounced back toward the right-wing circle. Coulson Pitre quickly one-timed the loose on goal from a wide angle and it found its way across the goal line through the five-hole for Pitre’s 12th of the campaign, logged at 12:40.
The Spirit reclaimed the lead at 14:53 off a Pavel Mintyukov shot from the center of the left circle. Cranley made the initial save, but Calem Mangone was positioned to Cranley’s left to redirect the rebound behind him for goal number 11 of the season. Mintyukov and Joey Willis combined for the assists.
The Spirit led 2-1 after the opening 20 minutes and outshot the Firebirds 17-5 in the first. Flint outdrew Saginaw 12-9 and killed the lone penalty of the period successfully.
Flint would score two quick goals early in the second period to tie the game, then claim their first lead of the contest. First, Dmitry Kuzmin made a slap pass to Braeden Kressler in the left circle. Kressler turned and fired on goal, and the rebound off Lennox was redirected behind him for Coulson Pitre’s second of the night and 13th of the year at 2:37. Then Kressler tried another shot into traffic from the left circle less than two minutes later. This time it was Gavin Hayes deflecting under Lennox for his 19th of the season at 4:11. Alex Bradshaw was credited with the second helper.
The Spirit converted on a power play later in the middle frame to tie the contest at three. Zayne Parekh made the initial pass from the point to Pavel Mintyukov along the left-wing half-boards. Mintyukov set up Dean Loukus between the hash marks for the low snapshot that found twine glove-side for his 11th of the campaign at 14:16.
The game was knotted at three after 40 minutes of play. The Birds outshot the Spirit 10-7 and won 16 faceoffs to Saginaw’s four. Both teams scored once on three chances on the power play with the man advantage.
Gavin Hayes scored his second of the night and fifth of the week to put the Firebirds on top 4-3 at 3:22 of the third period. He carried in all alone up the right side of the offensive zone with a defender in tow. From the near faceoff dot, he lifted a snapshot into the top corner on the blocker side, assisted by Tristan Bertucci.
The Flint lead didn’t last long, as the Spirit potted their fourth just over two minutes later. Mangone carried into the Flint zone and dropped the puck to Theo Hill trailing to his right. Hill made a cross-ice pass to Roberto Mancini atop the left circle, and the ensuing wrister lit the lamp for his eighth of the campaign at 5:38.
The Spirit struck paydirt once more at 13:37 to claim a late 5-4 lead. Forgione passed from atop the left circle to Parekh at the inner edge of the right circle. Parekh faked a shot, hesitated, then lifted the puck over Cranley’s outstretched left pad for his tenth of the season.
Flint pulled Cranley for the extra attacker late in the game, but Saginaw’s Mitchell Smith found the empty cage from deep in his own zone for his sixth of the season at 18:53. Cranley returned to the net for the ensuing faceoff, then returned to Flint’s bench for another attempt with the extra man. This time Joey Willis carried in on the empty net and deposited his eighth with six seconds remaining on the game clock.
Final shots favored the Spirit by a margin of 36-23, but Flint controlled the faceoffs 48-18. Saginaw went 1-for-4 on the power play while the Birds finished a perfect 2-for-3.
Next Up: After tonight’s tilt, the Firebirds travel to Saginaw to complete the home-and-away series with the Spirit. Flint fans are encouraged to make the 35-mile drive north and can purchase tickets at the Dow Event Center HERE.
Photography: Todd Boone / Flint Firebirds
Story: Brandon Mills / flintfirebirds.com
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