Video: Kitchener Strikes Late to Halt Flint’s Comeback Bid Saturday
Flint, Mich. – Just when it looked like the Firebirds might send the game into overtime following an unassisted goal from Ty Dellandrea that seemed to turn the momentum towards the Firebirds, Logan Brown (Ottawa Senators) found the back of the net late in the game to secure a two-goal lead and a 5-3 final for the Kitchener Rangers on Saturday night before a crowd of 2,986 at the Dort Federal Event Center.
Dellandrea added an assist for a two point effort tonight. Nikita Alexandrov and Riley McCourt, with his first goal at home, added single markers for the Firebirds. Garrett Forrest had 35 saves in the game.
Logan Brown and Adam Mascherin (Florida Panthers) matched with two goals and an assist each and former Firebird forward Kole Sherwood (Columbus Blue Jackets) contributed four assists. Luke Richardson stopped 20 of the 23 Firebirds’ shots.
Brown opened up the scoring in the game at 5:33. Sherwood, with the puck on the left wing, made a nice spin-around move to set up Brown in the slot, who fired the puck into a wide open net.
The Firebirds tied the game at the eight-minute mark on a three-way passing-play. Maurizio Colella from inside the Blue-line slipped a pass to Dellandrea who kicked the puck to his stick and then threaded the needle between a Rangers’ defender before dropping a pass to Alexandrov in the slot. Alexandrov beat Kitchener goaltender Richardson over his left shoulder. Alexandrov’s second goal of the season was assisted by Colella and Dellandrea.
Flint went ahead for the first time on a goal by Riley McCourt, his second as a Firebird and third overall. The play was set up on a pass from the right wing corner from Ryan Littlejohn. McCourt received the pass at the top of the left circle and had to settle the puck down before letting a wrist shot go, that beat Richardson on the glove-side. Jack Phibbs also received an assist.
Adam Mascherin tied the game at 14:41. After receiving a pass at the right circle, Mascherin was able to transfer the puck from his backhand to his forehand prior to beating Forrest far-side past his blocker.
The game was tied at two after 20 minutes with shots knotted up at 9 a-piece.
The Rangers earned a 3-2 lead on an unfortunate bounce for the Firebirds near the mid-way point of the second period. From the left side of the ice sheet in the Firebirds’ zone, Nick McHugh dished the puck to Eric Guest who transferred the puck between his leg and then back-handed it toward the goal. The puck hit a Firebird player before McHugh fired the puck into the net at 8:23.
It was the only goal in the middle frame.
The Rangers added an insurance goal on a three-way passing-play. Mascherin started the play from the neutral zone and carried the puck in before sending a pass to Logan Brown, Brown than fed the puck to Sherwood at the right-circle. Sherwood passed the it back to Mascherin, who was driving the net on the left-side, and tapped it in at 8:17.
Forrest came up with an incredible save with the Rangers on the power-play as he robbed Sherwood with a glove save, flashing the leather, which in turn led to a goal for the Firebirds seconds later. The puck was behind the Rangers net. A miss-communication between Richardson and a Ranger player allowed Dellandrea to skate in and steal the puck before walking out in front and lighting-the-lamp shorthanded.
It was 4-3 Kitchener for nearly five minutes but with 1:36 remaining in the game, Brown picked up his own rebound after an initial save from Forrest to scored at 18:24 to complete the scoring.
Kitchener out-shot Flint 40-23. Both teams failed to score on the power-play. Flint was 3-for-3 on the penalty kill and scored a shorthanded goal. Kitchener swept the three stars with Brown (3), Mascherin (2) and Sherwood (1) picking up the honors.
Next up for Flint, the Firebirds are home tomorrow, Sunday Jan. 28 against the Windsor Spitfires at 4 p.m. Sunday is a “Firebirds Family 4 Pack.” Sponsored by Dort Federal Credit Union, at every Sunday home game, the ‘4 pack’ features 4 Silver Level reserved tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas, 2 game programs and 2 game pucks, a value of $120 for $76. Also, all Sunday’s are ‘Firebirds KIDS FREE days,’ compliments of Aquafina: All kids 12-under will receive a free game ticket with adult purchase, valid for all price levels.
Sunday is also considered a ‘double redemption’ game for all season ticket holders and sponsors: If you’ve missed any games this season, you can redeem your unused season ticket(s) to get two tickets for every one season ticket presented at the Dort Federal Event Center box office.
Help the Firebirds Fight Hunger during January. Also in partnership with the Foodbank of Eastern Michigan, fans can bring in five non-perishable food items to any Firebirds’ home game in the month of January to receive a complimentary Silver Level ticket, sponsored by Little Caesars and The View Newspaper Group, limit to four tickets per person.
Single game tickets for all Firebirds games are $12 / Bronze, $16 / Silver, $20 / Gold and $26 / VIP seating (Seating Chart). All seats are reserved / assigned seating. Fans can purchase tickets by calling (810) 744-0580, in-person at the Dort Federal Event Center Box Office or online at ticketmaster.com here.
For ticket information, flex tickets or group outings, contact Dominic Gutierrez at (810) 701-8536 or email [email protected]. To book a private suite, please contact Karla Turner at (810) 744-0580 ext. 213 or email [email protected]
For more information:
Dominic Hennig
Director of Broadcasting & Communications
Flint Firebirds Hockey Club
[email protected]
(810) 519-9347
