Birds Plow Through Kingston With Dominant 4-1 Win
FLINT – The Flint Firebirds struck for three goals in the second period and cruised to a 4-1 win over the Kingston Frontenacs on Saturday night at the Dort Financial Center. Mason Courville made 16 saves as the Firebirds won their third consecutive game.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
After another tight-checking opening period during which neither team saw the puck find it’s way into the back of the net, the Firebirds struck first with a shorthand goal in the second. Kevin He forced Frontenac turnover at center and burned in with a breakaway. He fired a shot low past Gavin Betts to give the Birds a 1-0 lead midway into the second.
It didn’t take long for the Frontenacs to get their taste of scoring as Tomas Pobezal took advantage of the power play and returned the favor to tie it up at 1-1.
Not even a minute later, Darian Anderson answered right back to put Flint on top again. Luka Graziano sent a shot off Betts’ pads that rebounded to Anderson on the back side. He stuffed it home to make the score 2-1.
They extended that lead later in the middle period after Josh Bonnyman crashed into the corner and swept the puck back to a trailing Brady Smith. Smith stepped into a slap shot that flew past Betts to extend the Firebirds lead to 3-1.
Flint got one more in the third as Jacob Battaglia scored an empty netter, the lone goal in the period, to push the Firebirds past Kingston with a 4-1 win. The Firebirds improved to 29-9-2-2 while Kingston fell to 18-19-2-2.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Mason Courville saved 16 out of 17 shots faced…Jacob Battaglia scored in what was his first game against his former team. Kingston traded him to Flint on Monday…Kevin He scored for the third consecutive game.
UP NEXT:
The Firebirds will hit the road for the next four games, beginning on Thursday in Barrie against the Colts. Puck drop at Sadlon Arena is scheduled for 7 pm.
Photo: Allison Denman
