Greyhounds Squeak Past Firebirds, 2-1
SAULT STE MARIE, Ont. – Cole Zurawski scored for the second consecutive game and Nathan Day made 20 saves on 22 shots but the Flint Firebirds could only manage one goal and were beaten by the Soo Greyhounds, 2-1, on Friday night at the GFL Memorial Gardens.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
The Greyhounds got on the board first in the first period when Day got caught behind the net attempting to play the puck. Flint turned the puck over and before Day could get back in net, Charlie Hilton hit Travis Hayes who slammed it home from above the crease to make the score 1-0.
Flint answered in the second period when Matthew Wang won a faceoff that eventually popped over to Zurawski on the left wing. From a sharp angle, Zurawski swept the puck toward the net and it snuck through Charlie Schenkel on the short side, evening things at one.
The Firebirds controlled play in the third period, but it was the Greyhounds who eventually struck. Six and a half minutes into the final frame, Soo worked the puck to Andrew Gibson at the point. He flicked a wrist shot that navigated traffic and got past a screened Day, giving the Hounds a 2-1 lead.
Flint outshot Soo, 17-6 in the third period and continued to mount chances but could not get anything else past Schenkel. The Greyhounds’ netminder eventually made 37 saves on 38 shots to backstop his team to the win. The Firebirds fell to 4-4-0-0 in the loss while Soo improved to 4-5-0-0 in its win.
POSTGAME NOTES:
Cole Zurawski scored his first career OHL goal on Sunday in Sarnia and now has goals in back-to-back games…Flint allowed the game’s first goal for only the second time this season…Matthew Wang now has points in four consecutive games
UP NEXT:
The Firebirds return home on Saturday night to host the Erie Otters for the first time this season. It’s First Responders Appreciation Night and all first responders can get a free ticket to the game by showing proof of employment at the Dort Financial Center box office. Puck drop at the Dort Financial Center is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Soo Greyhounds
###
