Firebirds Unable to Overcome Early Deficit, Fall to Greyhounds, 4-2
SAULT STE. MARIE, Ont. — Oliver Peer scored and added an assist and Tristan Bertucci netted his tenth goal of the season, but the Soo Greyhounds jumped out to an early 3-0 lead that was too much to overcome as they beat the Flint Firebirds, 4-2, on Friday night at the GFL Memorial Gardens.
The Greyhounds needed only 40 seconds to start the scoring in the first period. Arttu Karki sent a breakout pass through the neutral zone to spring Jack Beck a step ahead of the defense. From the high slot, he snapped the puck between the legs of Jacob Brown to give Soo an early 1-0.
Then, nearly 12 minutes later, Jordan D’Intino tried to slip between two defenders for a clear break on Brown. The puck was stripped from him, but right behind was Justin Cloutier, who snapped it high over Day’s glove, extending Soo’s edge to 2-0.
The Greyhounds got another one inside the final four minutes of period one. Tate Vaeter settled a pass behind Brown’s cage. He carried to the bottom of the right circle and fired a wide-angle shot. Brown made the save, but the rebound went back to Vaeter. He took a stride toward the slot, then lifted a short wrister over the right pad for a 3-0 Greyhounds’ lead that held through 20 minutes of play.
Neither team registered a shot on goal until beyond the midway point of the middle frame. Finally, with 90 seconds to play before the second intermission, Peer crossed the offensive blue line on the right-wing side and slipped a cross-ice pass to Simon Slavicek who was pinching in from the left point. Slavicek fed Bertucci at the back door who slammed a one-timer behind Charlie Schenkel to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Still down by a pair late, the Firebirds called their timeout with 2:46 to go and left Brown on the bench in favor of an extra attacker. After winning the draw and making a slew of perimeter passes, Nolan Dann pulled the puck off the boards at the left point and quickly rifled it to Peer who was alone at the back door below the right circle. Peer’s one-timed the pass past Schenkel and the Firebirds brought themselves within one.
Flint again pulled Brown for an extra attacker and threatened again in the attacking zone. They were unable to get anything else past Schenkel though and eventually the Hounds got the puck to Jordan D’Intino in the neutral zone. He sent a puck into the empty net and the Greyhounds cemented a 4-2 victory.
The Birds fell to 30-32-4-1 in the loss, while the Hounds improved to 45-17-3-2. Flint returns home Saturday to host the Sarnia Sting for the final home game of the regular season. It’s Fan Appreciation Night and puck drop at the Dort Financial Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Story: Brandon Mills // flintfirebirds.com
Photo courtesy of Soo Greyhounds