Flint Rolls Oshawa, 5-0
OSHAWA, Ont. – Jacob Battaglia scored twice as the Flint Firebirds cruised past the Oshawa Generals, 5-0, on Monday afternoon at the Tribute Communities Centre. Flint goaltender Mason Vaccari made 19 saves to record his fourth shutout of the year.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
Ihnat Pazii got the offense started early for the Firebirds as he skated in from the blueline. An Oshawa defender blocked Pazii’s initial shot, but he ripped the rebound past Matthew Humphries, giving Flint a 1-0 lead.
The Firebirds attack took off in the second period. Dryden Allen made a cross-ice pass to Chris Thibodeau. He was patient with the puck on the far circle and found Jacob Battaglia waiting at the back door for a tap-in goal. Two minutes later, the Flint power play capitalized for the first time. Urban Podrekar snapped the puck from the blueline, and Darian Anderson was in front to deflect it home, giving the Firebirds a 3-0 advantage.
The Birds’ power play would add another goal later in the second period. Josh Colosimo set up behind the Generals’ net and connected with Battaglia, cutting towards the front, who shot it past Humphries for his second goal of the game.
In the third, Oshawa had a good scoring chance with a scramble in front of the Flint net. Mason Vaccari denied the Generals, and on the counterattack, Thibodeau slid a pass to Kevin He, who put it into the back of the net to make it 5-0 Firebirds and cap off the Flint win.
With the victory, the Firebirds improved to 37-14-3-2 on the season, and the Generals dropped to 13-37-2-1.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Kevin He extended his goal streak to nine games, the longest in the OHL this season… Jacob Battaglia scored his 100th career OHL goal. He is now on a three-game goal streak… Mason Vaccari is now tied for first in the OHL in shutouts with four this season.
UP NEXT:
Flint returns home on Saturday evening with a matchup against the Sudbury Wolves. Puck drop from the Dort Financial Center is set for 7 p.m.
Photo Courtesy of the Oshawa Generals
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