Birds Roll Knights in Season Opener, 7-4
LONDON, Ont – Nolan Collins and Evan Konyen both scored twice, Chris Thibodeau had three assists and five different Firebirds recorded multi-point games as Flint cruised past the London Knights, 7-4, on Friday night at Budweiser Gardens.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Flint took control with three goals in the first period and never relinquished the lead. Konyen got the scoring started with a rebound goal off a Jack D’Arcy shot. He then struck again after Thibodeau fed him for a backdoor tap in on a power play. Nathan Aspinall then wrapped around the net and stuffed a shot past Owen Willmore’s pad, putting the Firebirds on top, 3-0.
London answered with a power play goal from Evan Van Gorp to cut the lead to 3-1 but the Firebirds answered and extended the lead again in the second period. Connor Clattenburg was sprung for a two-on-one rush with Artem Frolov on his left. Clattenburg saucered a pass over the Knights defenseman’s stick to Frolov, who chipped a shot past Wilmore to make it 4-1. Collins then struck for his first goal when he sent a wrist shot that deflected off a Knight and into the net, extending the lead to 5-1.
The Knights grabbed the next two goals, both power play tallies from William Nicholl. Flint countered again though with a power play goal of its own. Kaden Pitre hit Collins at the point for a wrist shot that he shot through traffic and in for his second of the game. Later, Cole Zurawski dug the puck out of a corner and found Pitre in the slot. Pitre snapped a wrist shot that beat Willmore and Flint extended its lead to 7-3.
Jacob Julien scored one more power play goal for the Knights in the final two minutes but the Firebirds would hold on the rest of the way and eventually dropped the Knights, 7-4. Flint improved to 1-0-0-0 in the win while London dropped to 0-1-0-0.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Nolan Collins had four points in his first game as a Firebird, setting a new career-high…Cole Zurawski’s assist on Kaden Pitre’s goal was his first career OHL point. Zurawski was taken with the number six overall pick in the 2024 OHL Priority Selection…the Firebirds went 2-for-3 on the power play…Flint outshot London, 41-23.
UP NEXT:
The Firebirds and Knights will complete their home-and-home opening weekend on Saturday night in Flint. 4,000 fans will receive a magnet schedule courtesy of Jersey Mike’s Subs and 2,500 fans will get a rally towel, courtesy of Dort Financial Credit Union. Puck drop for the Firebirds home opener is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Dort Financial Center.
Photo: Wild Ave Photography
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