Firebirds Fall to Knights in Home Opener, 5-2
FLINT – Two quick goals late in the second by the London Knights were the difference as the Flint Firebirds fell to the Knights, 5-2 on Saturday night at Dort Financial Center.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Firebirds and Knights found themselves tied at one after the first 20 minutes, but Rene Van Bommel would break the tie with his first career OHL goal, firing the puck past the glove of Nathan Day off a pass from Noah Read. 30 seconds later the Knights extended the lead when Alec Leonard ripped a one-timer, short side past Day off a feed from Jesse Nurmi.
The Firebirds brought themselves back within one later in the third on defenseman Rylan Fellinger’s first career OHL goal. He sent a long wrister from the blue line that got through Alexei Medvedev and made the score 3-2. The comeback effort by Flint would be stimied by costly penalties that eventually led to an insurance, power play goal from London defenseman Jared Woolley. He fired a shot through traffic from the point that got by Day to make it 4-2. In the final minute of the game, Evan Van Gorp would seal the Knights’ win with an empty netter reaching the final score of 5-2.
In front of home fans for the first time this season, Flint jumped out to a fast start, thanks to a powerplay goal from Connor Clattenburg. Nolan Collins took a shot from the point that Clattenburg deflected past Medvedev for the early 1-0 lead. It didn’t last long as Blake Arrowsmith was able to tuck one home underneath Day just 77 seconds later to tie the game, 1-1 in the first period.
Flint’s loss was its first of the 2024-25 campaign, bringing its record to 1-1-0-0 at the end of the first weekend. London was able to avenge its season-opening, 7-4 loss to the Firebirds on Friday night, as the win brought the Knights record to 1-1-0-0.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Chris Thibodeau tallied two assists, bringing his total to five through his first two games as a Firebird… Flint went 1-for-10 on the power play. Following the Connor Clattenburg goal on their second power play, the Firebirds power play unit finished the game 0-for-8…Nolan Collins assisted on Flint’s first goal and has now factored in on five of its nine goals this season.
UP NEXT:
The Firebirds will return to action on Friday night in Kitchener against the Rangers. Puck drop at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Photo: Todd Boone
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