Firebirds’ Comeback Falls Just Short on New Year’s Eve in Windsor, 6-4
WINDSOR, Ont. – The Flint Firebirds fell in a 5-0 first period hole, scored four times to bring themselves within one but ultimately came up short as they were beaten by the Windsor Spitfires, 6-4, on New Year’s Eve at the WFCU Centre.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
With the Firebirds trailing, 5-0 early in the second period, Karlis Flugins won a faceoff to Cole Zurawski on the left wing. Zurawski snapped a shot over the shoulder of Joey Costanzo to get the Firebirds on the board. Just one minute later, with Flint on a power play, the Birds worked the puck to Nathan Aspinall on the top of the left circle. He fired a wrist shot through traffic and past Costanzo on the short side to make the score 5-2.
Flint struck again late in the second period just moments after a successful penalty kill. Kaden Pitre streaked into the attacking zone and flung a shot off Costanzo’s pads that bounced to the trailing Jimmy Lombardi at the right circle. Lombardi one-timed the rebound and sent it past the sprawling Costanzo, cutting the deficit to 5-3.
The Firebirds dominated puck possession and scoring chances in the third but still trailed, 5-3 when they were granted a power play late in the period. Lombardi found Matthew Mania, who fired a shot from the point that Costanzo stopped but the rebound popped to Connor Clattenburg on the back side. Clattenburg stuffed the puck home and the Windsor lead was down to one.
Flint then pulled Nathan Day for an extra attacker and mounted pressure but could not manage the equalizer. Eventually, Liam Greentree sent a shot into the open net which pushed the score to its 6-4 final.
The Spitfires jumped out to their five-goal lead thanks to first period goals from Ethan Garden, Ilya Protas, Jack Nesbitt, Ethan Belchetz and Noah Morneau. Greentree recorded three assists in the first period and finished with four points.
Flint fell to 16-17-1-1 in the loss while the Spitfires improved to 26-7-2-1. The Firebirds outshot the Spitfires, 32-16 in the losing effort.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Connor Clattenburg extended his point streak to six games and now is tied for the team lead with 12 goals…Flint went 4-for-4 on the penalty kill and is now 23-for-25 in its last six games…the Firebirds were 2-for-3 on the power play, the third time this season they have had multiple power play goals.
UP NEXT:
Flint will take the ice for the first time in 2025 on Friday night at home against the Ottawa 67s. Puck drop at the Dort Financial Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Photo: Remo Agostino, Windsor Spitfires
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