Birds Hold Off Sting, 7-4
FLINT- A high-scoring battle took place at the Dort Financial Center on Wednesday night as the Flint Firebirds beat the visiting Sarnia Sting, 7-4. Five goals in the first period propelled Flint to their first win in five tries against Sarnia this season.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Firebirds began their first period explosion a minute into the game as Jimmy Lombardi found a bouncing loose puck on the goal line and slammed it home. Sarnia would answer soon after with Brenner Lammens going top shelf following a Flint defensive zone turnover to knot the score at one.
It would be all Flint after that as later in the period, Nathan Aspinall dropped a dime to a cutting Darels Uljanskis. He ripped a wrist shot into the net giving Flint a 2-1 lead. Uljanskis would then continue an impressive first period when he fed Ihnat Pazii, who was sitting at the back post for a tap-in power play goal, extending the lead to two.
With less than five minutes left in the period, Pazii hit a trailing Charlie Murata who found himself alone in front of the net. He beat Sting goalie Evan Maillet right between the legs, netting the fourth goal of the period.
One more goal in the first came off the stick of the newest Firebird, Jacob Battaglia. Aspinall found him streaking down the right side for a breakaway. He deked and Maillet would be beaten through the five hole one more time, and it was 5-1 Birds.
Sarnia cut into the lead late into the second period on the power play. Jordan Bax took in a pass from Jack Van Volsen and stuffed the puck home making the score 5-2.
The Sting found nylon early in the third for their second power play goal of the night. Easton Walos collected a rebound and with Vaccari on the ice and slung it top shelf for another Sting goal. Sarnia then brought itself within one when its captain Alessandro Di Iorio banked a shot off the facemask of Vaccari and into the net for their third unanswered goal.
Flint would respond though as Alex Kostov took a shot that Kevin He deflected past Patrick Quinlan to give the Firebirds a 6-4 lead. Kostov would then seal it with an empty net goal, pushing the score to its final of 7-4.
The Firebirds improved to 27-9-2-2 with their win while Sarnia dropped to 11-23-4-1.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Nathan Aspinall charted three assists…. Jimmy Lombardi, Darels Uljanksis, Ihnat Pazii, Kevin He and Alex Kostov each had a goal and an assist…. Mason Vaccari saved 31 of 35 shots…. Jacob Battaglia scored his first goal as a Firebird in his first game for Flint…the Firebirds are now 1-2-1-1 against the Sting this season.
UP NEXT:
The Firebirds stay home to take on the Saginaw Spirit on Friday night. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Dort Financial Center.
Photo: Allison Denman
