FIREBIRDS HALT KNIGHTS WIN STREAK

Three second-period goals by the Flint Firebirds propelled them to a 6-1 win over the London Knights on Friday night at Budweiser Gardens.

The loss stopped the Knights’ winning streak at five games and saw London lose in regulation for the first time since Oct. 19.

Flint limited the London chances through the first 40 minutes of the game. They also held the Knights power play silent all game.

The first two goals of the game actually came seconds after power plays had ended. The Knights had just killed off the second of two Flint chances on the man advantage in the first period when the Firebirds put the puck into the London net.

Arizona Coyotes prospect Dennis Busby turned and wristed a shot through a screen, right before turning to the bench for a line change and it found its way in for a 1-0 Flint lead.

Early in the second period, Flint killed off a London power play only to have Jonathan Gruden of the Knights snag a puck in behind the Firebirds net and feed it quickly to Connor McMichael. He extended his point streak to 10 games as he found Alec Regula crashing the net and the Blackhawks prospect scored his eighth of the season to tie the game 1-1.

Just over a minute later the Firebirds grabbed the lead back as Jack Phibbs scored to make it 2-1.

Ty Dellandrea batted in a rebound at the 8:07 mark of period two.

Jake Durham found a tiny space inside the post on Dylan Myskiw and scored his 10th goal of the season to give the Firebirds a three-goal lead.

Brett Brochu entered the game at that point for the Knights and stopped 15 of the 16 shots that he faced.

In the third period, Flint’s leading scorer, Evgeniy Oksentyuk, cashed in twice to complete the scoring. He scored his second goal into an empty net.

The Knights will look to regroup on Sunday as the Kitchener Rangers arrive at Budweiser Gardens for a 2 p.m. start.