Firebirds Fall to Bulldogs, 5-2
BRANTFORD, Ont. – Hayden Reid and Alex Kostov both scored but the Flint Firebirds were beaten by the Brantford Bulldogs, 5-2, on Wednesday night at the Brantford Civic Centre.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Brantford struck first halfway through the opening period while on the power play. Marek Vanacker took a shot that bounced off the end boards and popped to Joshua Avery in front of the net. He poked the puck home to make the score 1-0.
The Bulldogs struck again later in the first when Dylan Tsherna drove the net and left the puck for Noah Roberts in the slot. He flipped a soft wrist shot over a screened Nathan Day’s shoulder to double the Brantford lead. Cole Brown then added another for the Bulldogs a minute and a half later and the lead was 3-0.
Flint responded though just 17 seconds after the third Brantford goal when Reid knocked the puck free at center ice and sped in with a breakaway. Reid snapped a wrist shot high past Ryerson Leenders’ glove to get the Firebirds on the board.
The Birds cut the deficit to one early in the second period after Chris Thibodeau drove the net and fed Nathan Aspinall for a wrist shot from the left circle. Leenders stopped the shot but the rebound found a trailing Alex Kostov who rammed it home and the score was 3-2.
That was as close as the Firebirds would get, however, as Brantford responded later in the period when Aiden O’Donnell scampered after a loose puck and shoved it under Day’s left pad from even with the goal line. The Bulldogs then got one more in the third when Cole Brown hit Nick Lardis for a one-timer off an odd-man rush and Brantford pushed its lead to 5-2.
Flint fell to 17-19-2-1 in the loss while Brantford improved to 20-15-4-0.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Flint outshot Brantford, 11-3 in the third period but was outshot, 32-29 for the game…Chris Thibodeau had an assist on Alex Kostov’s goal in the second period and leads the team with 29 points…Matthew Mania appeared in his 200th OHL game.
UP NEXT:
The Firebirds return home on Friday night to take on the Guelph Storm. It’s Firebirds Fight Hunger and fans who donate five or more nonperishable food items can receive a free ticket to the game courtesy of game night sponsors Dort Financial Credit Union, Kroger and Sysco. Puck drop at the Dort Financial Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Brantford Bulldogs
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