Firebirds Beat Sting in a Shootout, 3-2
FLINT – Connor Clattenburg and Jeremy Martin both scored and Nathan Day made 20 saves on 22 shots, plus three more during the shootout, as the Flint Firebirds beat the Sarnia Sting in a shootout, 3-2, on Wednesday night at the Dort Financial Center.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Flint opened the scoring late in the first period off a won faceoff in the attacking zone. Evan Konyen won the draw back to Matthew Mania who fired a snap shot toward the net. Clattenburg crashed the top of the crease and deflected Mania’s shot past Nick Surzycia. On Teddy Bear Toss Night in Flint, the goal summoned the stuffed animals from the crowd and the Birds grabbed a 1-0 lead.
They added to that lead in the second when Martin jumped into a passing lane at center ice and sped in with a breakaway. Martin sent a wrist shot through Surzycia’s five hole from the bottom of the faceoff circles and the Flint lead grew to 2-0.
Sarnia answered late in the second just following the conclusion of a power play. Ruslan Karimov carried the puck below the goal line, dragged it around a defender and tucked it into the net to make the score 2-1. The Sting then tied the game in the third when Karimov was spring for a breakaway. He put a move on and beat Day as he tumbled down to the ice, evening the score at two.
The game progressed to overtime and despite a heavy advantage for Flint in possession time and scoring chances, neither team cashed in during the extra session, which pushed it to a shootout.
In the shootout, Nathan Aspinall cashed in in the with a slick move that sent the puck through Surzycia’s legs. Day stopped the first two shooters he faced, which brought Karimov out in the third round, needing a goal to extend the game. Karimov slowed his pace to a crawl, deked to his forehand and fired a shot that Day stuffed, cementing the win for the Firebirds.
Flint improved to 10-13-0-1 in the win while Sarnia moved to 8-13-1-4 with its shootout loss.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Wednesday was Flint’s second shootout of the season with both having come against Sarnia. Flint is now 1-1 in shootouts…Nathan Aspinall is 2-for-2 on shootout attempts this season…Jeremy Martin has two goals in his lat three games and three points in his last four…the Firebirds will play their next six games on the road. Flint will not return home until December 14 against the Owen Sound Attack.
UP NEXT:
The Firebirds hit the road for a pair of games this weekend, beginning on Friday night in St. Catharines against the Niagara IceDogs. Puck drop at Meridian Centre is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Photo: Todd Boone
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