Birds Bounce Back, Defeat Petes, 4-1
FLINT – The Flint Firebirds scored two goals early and never gave up the lead as they went on to defeat the Peterborough Petes 4-1 on Friday at the Dort Financial Center. The Birds snapped a three-game losing streak with the comeback win.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Jimmy Lombardi started things off quickly with a goal just two minutes into the first period. Lombardi drove the puck into the zone, pulling right as if he was going to shoot from the corner. Instead, he skillfully wrapped the puck around Petes’ goalie Zach Bowen, slipping it behind his back and scoring a cinematic goal to give the Birds an early, 1-0 lead.
On a Firebirds power play ten minutes later, Nolan Collins set up Chris Thibodeau in front of the goal. Thibodeau’s first shot did not get through the Petes defensemen but he gathered the rebound and snuck a wrist shot between Bowen’s legs, pushing the Firebirds’ lead to two goals.
Early in the second period, Peterborough’s Gavin Bryant received a stretch pass while the Firebirds were in the midst of a change and moved in on a breakaway. He whipped a shot past Nathan Day into the top of the net for the Petes’ first tally of the night, putting the score at 2-1.
Halfway through the third period, Blake Smith intercepted a Peterborough clearing attempt at the blue line. He slammed a slapshot that ramped off of a Petes stick and into the net behind Bowen, putting the Birds’ lead back at two goals, 3-1.
Chris Thibodeau sealed the win when he shot the puck into the empty net for his second goal of the night, increasing the margin of victory to 4-1. Flint improved to 7-8-0-1 in the win while Peterborough fell to 1-12–1-3.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Chris Thibodeau scored twice, matching the single-game high for a Firebird this season…This was Thibodeau’s fifth multi-point game…Nathan Day made 21 saves on 22 shots… The Firebirds killed all three Petes power plays…Flint snapped an 0-for-15 drought with its first period power play goal.
UP NEXT:
The Firebirds remain home on Saturday night and will play the Soo Greyhounds. It is Military Appreciation Night; all active duty & military veterans can receive a free ticket at the box office window with proof of service. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Dort Financial Center.
Photo: Todd Boone
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