Fans toss Teddies, 67’s toss Firebirds
The Ottawa 67’s close out their weekend with a 3-2 shootout win over the Flint Firebirds. The game was filled with lots of Teddy Bears and drama, as the 67’s came back from a 2-0 deficit, before beating the Firebirds in the shootout.
The Firebirds came out of the gate strong, drawing a penalty that was ultimately killed off. Even with the 67’s getting a power play of their own, the Firebirds were able to keep the barber poles to the outside while preventing the 67’s from getting a puck on net through the game’s first ten minutes. New York Rangers prospect forward Nathan Aspinall would get the Firebirds on the board first with a shot from the slot blocker-side. The 67’s would finally get some shots on net thanks to a second power play and would begin to find their game. However, the bigger and faster Firebirds would catch a second wind in the dying seconds of the period, scoring their second to bring the score to 2-0 going into the first intermission.
As teams switched sides for the second, so, too, did the momentum. The 67’s entered the second with intention, with Nic Whitehead scoring, sinking the Teddy Bear Toss goal. 4767 Teddy Bears rained down onto the ice sheet, all of whom will be donated to the Salvation Army. Cooper Foster helped set the play up, marking his 100th career assist. Defensively, the 67’s would tighten, suffocating the Firebirds. They would get two more chances on the power play as the Firebirds let their tempers get the best of them, but the 67’s would not capitalize.
To start the third, the 67’s would get another chance on the power play. Whitehead would reconnect with Foster on the man advantage, this time setting up Foster for the game-tying goal. However, the Firebirds would claw back, leading the two teams in shots, 13 shots to five. The game would continue into extra time, tied 2-2 after 60.
The 67’s power play would get tested again after Flint picked up a cross-checking call to start the extra-time. Unfortunately, the team wouldn’t capitalize despite dominating possession for the majority of overtime and keeping the Firebirds to four shots. After Flint’s Mason Vaccari and 67’s Ryder Fetterolf shut the door on both teams’ first three attempts, Filip Ekberg would finally break through, landing the shootout winner.
Coming into this game, the 67’s were last in the league in penalty kill percentage. Based on their play shorthanded against the Firebirds, you would not be able to tell, as they did a great job at limiting entries and preventing Flint’s red-hot power play from getting into great danger scoring areas.
Fetterolf was electric, earning the first star of the game after stopping 30 of 32, as well as shutting the door on all four of Flint’s attempts in the shootout. Despite facing one of the top offenses in the league, the 2026 NHL draft prospect played extremely composed throughout the game.
“I’ve put in a lot of work with Coach Mercer and get out there early two-to-three times a week,” he said. It’s these sessions, he credits, that help him remain composed. As for his strategy for success in the shootout? “Not try to be overcomplicated,” he said. “Just try to read the play and make the simple play.”
Box score
| Teams | Score | Shots on goal | Power plays |
| Ottawa | 3 | 25 | 1/7 |
| Flint | 2 | 32 | 0/3 |
First period
#76 Nathan Aspinall (18) scores. Assists: #22 Darian Anderson
#95 Ihnat Pazii (8) scores. Assists: #98 Urban Podrekar, #47 Alex Kostov
Second Period
#10 Nic Whitehead (13) scores. Assists: #23 Connor Bewick, #29 Cooper Foster
Third Period
#29 Cooper Foster (18) scores. Assists: #10 Nic Whitehead, #19 Kohyn Eshkawkogan
Up next
The 67’s will hit the road, taking on the Oshawa Generals on Friday, December 12th at 7:05 p.m.
Fear not, the 67’s will return home on Sunday, hosting the Windsor Spitfires at 3:00 p.m. for the Ugly Christmas sweater game. Fans can buy tickets to the game here.
Jacob Titus
Writer, Ottawa 67’s
