Red-Hot Firebirds Down Attack, 6-3
OWEN SOUND, Ont. – Simon Slavicek had two goals and an assist, Zacharie Giroux and Gavin Hayes both extended their point streaks to nine games and the Flint Firebirds rode a three-goal third period to a 6-3 win over the Owen Sound Attack on Wednesday night at J,D, McArthur Arena. Flint earned a point for the fourth consecutive game and the sixth time in its last seven outings.
Flint opened the scoring in the first period while working on a power play. The Firebirds, who entered the game with the lowest power play percentage in the league, controlled an attacking zone faceoff with Braeden Kressler, who won the draw back to Tristan Bertucci. The Dallas Stars prospect walked the line to the left point before sending a wrist shot on goal. Carter George made the initial save but Slavicek grabbed the rebound and swept it home, putting the Firebirds on the board.
Flint then added to that lead when Rylan Fellinger fired a wrist shot from the point. Nolan Dann stuck his stick out and deflected the puck high past George. Dann’s fourth of the year and second in as many games extended the lead to 2-0.
The Attack pulled within one in the final 80 seconds of the opening frame after establishing some sustained pressure in Flint’s end. Cedrick Guindon netted one high to the glove side of Nathan Day through a screen from the high slot for his fifth in the past four contests.
With Owen Sound on the man advantage in the second period, Kressler and Giroux emerged on a two-on-one break in the offensive end. Above the hash marks, Kressler cut left and made a drop pass to Giroux. After a forehand to backhand deke, he slipped through George for Flint’s fourth shorthanded marker of the season that pushed the score to 3-1.
Owen Sound then scored back-to-back goals to knot things up at three. First, it was Deni Goure tapping home a fortuitous bounce off the end boards for his eighth of the year. Then, Guindon potted his second of the night when he dropped to a knee in the slot to one-time a pass from Servac Petrovski.
Flint poured it on in the third period, starting with Gavin Hayes one-timing his seventh of the season from atop the right circle. The Chicago Blackhawks signee extended his point streak to nine games with the tally, which put the Firebirds back on top, 4-3.
Later, Bertucci ripped a shot from the point with Nathan Aspinall cutting across the top of the crease. Aspinall reached behind him and deflected the puck up and over George’s shoulder to make the score 5-3.
The Birds added one more when Slavicek snagged a loose puck in his own zone and sprinted down the right wing. He gained the zone and snapped a shot through George’s legs, pushing the score to its 6-3 final.
The Firebirds improved to 6-6-1-0 with the win and extended their point streak to four games in the process while Owen Sound fell to 6-6-1-0. Day recorded 21 saves on 24 shots for his third consecutive victory in net, Kressler had three assists for his fourth straight multi-point outing and the Firebirds went 2-for-2 on the power play, their first game with multiple power play goals.
Flint will now return home for a pair of games over the weekend. It begins on Friday night against the Erie Otters. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. at the Dort Financial Center.
Story: Brandon Mills // flintfirebirds.com
