Preview: Firebirds Face-Off vs. Spirit in Saginaw Tonight, in Flint Saturday
| Pre-Season: Flint Firebirds (0-3-0-0) at Saginaw Spirit (1-0-0-1) | |
| Date | Time | Friday, September 15 | 7:00 p.m. |
| Location | Saginaw, Mich. | Dow Event Center (Directions) |
| Tickets | Ticketmaster.com | (989) 497-7747 |
| TV | – None |
| Video Stream | – None |
| Radio | – None |
| Radio (Mobile) | – None |
| Live Stats | Here |
| Media Notes Packet | – None |
| Social Media | @FlintFirebirds  | Facebook  | Instagram  |
Flint, Mich. – The Firebirds are set for a home-and-home series with the Saginaw Spirit to conclude the 2017 pre-season this weekend. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. for Friday night’s tilt at the Dow Event Center in Saginaw and 7 p.m. for Saturday’s contest at Iceland Arenas in Flint.
The Firebirds posted back-to-back victories over Saginaw in last year’s pre-season. Flint won 3-2 in a shootout at Iceland Arenas on Sep. 9, 2016 before earning a 2-1 victory at the Dow Event Center on Sep. 10. In the 2016-17 I-75 Divide Cup Series, presented by Coors Light, Flint held a 5-2-1 record against the Spirit with three of those wins coming on home ice. The Firebirds were 2-2 at the Dow Event Center against the Spirit.
The Spirit have played two of their four preseason games, earning a victory and a shootout loss against the defending West Division Champions, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. The Spirit took home the first match against the Soo at The Dow Event Center last Saturday night fell in a seven-round shootout the next night. The Firebirds were winless in three games at the HarborCenter in Buffalo, NY.
The Firebirds will be missing Nick Caamano (Dallas Stars), Fedor Gordeev (Toronto Maple Leafs) and Luke Kirwan (Columbus Blue Jackets) this weekend to NHL Training Camps. Saginaw is missing five players Cole Coskey (Toronto Maple Leafs), Keaton Middleton (Toronto Maple Leafs), Evan Cormier (New Jersey Devils), Marcus Crawford (Detroit Red Wings) and Brady Gilmour (Detroit Red Wings).
Flint and Saginaw will face eachother for the first time in the regular season on Wednesday, Nov. 1 in Saginaw at the Dow Event Center.
Players to Watch:
Flint Firebirds (0-3-0-0, Western Conference):
Firebirds’ forward Ryan Moore has returned from the NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City with the New York Rangers. Moore led the Firebirds in points last season with 90 points (39G, 51A) in 68 games.
Defenseman Hakon Nilsen is having a strong pre-season and leads the team with a pair of goals. The six-foot, 192-pound, right-shot rearguard is starting his third season with the Firebirds after the team selected him in the seventh-round (124th overall) in 2015. The Cape Coral, Florida native is more of a defensive defenseman, scoring three times and adding seven assists in the last two seasons.
Ethan Keppen, the Firebirds first-round selection in the 2017 OHL priority draft (10th overall) is off to a fast start in pre-season play with two assists in three games. Keppen has good size at six-foot-two and 205-pounds and looks like he is ready to have a very good rookie season. Keppen shoots from the left side and has a 0.67 point-per-game average in the early going.
2016 first-round draft pick Ty Dellandrea tallied one goal at the OHL Pre-Season Showcase and is coming off winning Gold with Hockey Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup this past summer.
After scoring five goals and 13 points in his rookie season with Flint, Center Hunter Holmes could be in for a breakout season and is currently tied for the team lead in points during exhibition play with a goal and an assist in three games. The St. Davids, Ontario native has looked like a player, who after one season, is showing that he is very comfortable and confident on the ice.
In addition, goaltender Garrett Forrest has a 0.900 save percentage in two pre-season games. He won 13 games for the Firebirds last season and posted a 3.51 goals against average. Rookie goaltender Luke Cavallin has a .840 save percentage and has played in two pre-season games with the Firebirds.
The Firebirds have two players that have been selected in the NHL Draft: Nick Caamano (Dallas Stars) and Fedor Gordeev (Toronto Maple Leafs).
Saginaw Spirit (1-0-0-1, Western Conference):
Nicholas Porco is tied for the most points with the Spirit in pre-season play scoring two goals and adding one assist for three points in two games. Porco, was the fourth-overall selection by Saginaw in 2017. Along with Porco, Blade Jenkins was the Spirit’s first-round pick in the 2016 OHL Draft and recently committed to Saginaw this past summer to play the upcoming season in the OHL.
Center Max Grondin was a second-round selection (37th overall) in 2016 and has a goal and two assists in two games for Saginaw. Last season the Hearst, Ontario native appeared in 68 games, scoring six times and adding 11 points.
Both Saginaw goaltender’s Cameron Lamour and Brendan Bonello have seen 30 minutes of action this pre-season. Lamour sports a .875 save percentage and Bonello a .750 save percentage.
NHL: The Spirit have three players on their roster that have been selected in the NHL Draft: Evan Cormier (New Jersey Devils), Brady Gilmour (Detroit Red Wings) and Keaton Middleton (Toronto Maple Leafs).
Broadcast Coverage:
There will be no live radio or television coverage for the final two pre-season games. However, 66 of the Firebirds’ 68 games this season can be heard live on 103.1 FM in Flint & Mid-Michigan and around the world online on www.us103.com or by downloading the US 103 App here. Pregame coverage with Dominic Hennig begins 30 minutes prior to puck drop. Additionally, 65 of the Firebirds 68 games this regular-season will have live television coverage. Fans can also watch regular season games live online at www.ohllive.com or on the OHL Live App.
Upcoming Home Games:
The Firebirds host the Spirit tomorrow at the Firebirds’ official practice facility, Iceland Arenas at 7 p.m. Iceland is located on Elms Road in Clayton Township. Fans are encouraged to bring their skates and helmets as there will be a free “skate with the team” opportunity immediately following the game. Rental skates will be available for $5 for those without skates. Players along with team mascot, Hot Wing, will be available to meet and greet, sign autographs and pose for pictures during the public skate.
Tickets for Saturday’s game are $10 for general admission seating at the door or $15 for a fundraising voucher, which allows fans entry to this game and a future regular season game at the Dort Federal Event Center. Last year’s pre-season games saw capacity crowds at Iceland Arenas, so fans are encouraged to arrive early to secure their seats for this in-state rivalry contest.
For media inquiries, contact:
Dominic Hennig
Director of Broadcasting & Communications
Flint Firebirds Hockey Club
[email protected]
(810) 519-9347
