Final: Rangers 3, Firebirds 5
Flint, MI: The Rangers (29-12-5-2) traveled south to Michigan to face the Firebirds (29-17-1-1) who extended their franchise-record winning streak to seven games in a 5-3 win.
Axel Bergkvist scored two goals and Mike Petizian added another for the Rangers.
Jacob Ingham saved 31 shots in the loss.
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The Firebirds opened up the scoring at 7:42 of the first period. Braeden Kressler passed cross-ice Tyler Tucker (11) who took a shot on net that was tipped by a Rangers defender past Jacob Ingham to make it 1-0.
There was no further scoring in the period and after 20 minutes, Flint lead in shots, 14-10.
Jack Wismer (15) extended the Firebirds lead at 6:34 when his initial shot was blocked by Ingham but on a second chance opportunity, the right-winger buried it and it was 2-0.
The Rangers pulled within a goal at 10:10. Riley Damiani came across the blue line and passed it to Axel Bergkvist (6) who cut across the top of the crease and went backhand, high to make it 2-1.
Twenty-five seconds later at 10:25, the Firebirds came across the blue line with numbers and Wismer made a move around a Rangers defender and roofed one to restore Flint’s two-goal lead. It was 3-1.
34-seconds after that, at 11:09, a shot by Michael Vukojevic went off the knee of Mike Petizian (17) and beat Anthony Popovich to make it 3-2.
Greg Meireles also earned an assist on the goal.
Flint doubled up their lead once again after Jack Phibbs exited the penalty box and found himself on a breakaway. Phibbs (12) went five-hole to beat Ingham and it was 4-2.
After 40 minutes, the Firebirds led in shots 25-21.
In the third period, while on the power-play, Damiani passed cross-ice to Bergkvist (7) who wired a one-timer past Popovich to bring the Rangers within one, 4-3.
Meireles picked up his second assist of the night on the power-play goal.
Evgeniy Oksentyuk scored an empty-net goal with one second left in the game to seal the win for the Firebirds, 5-3.
Final shots on goal were 36-32 for Flint.
The next Rangers home game is on Friday, February 7 at 7:30 pm versus the Mississauga Steelheads. The next road game for the Rangers is on Wednesday, February 5 at 7:07 pm versus the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
Tickets are available for all regular-season home games! Purchase yours in-person at The Aud or Centre in the Square Box Office, by phone (519) 578-1570 or 1-800-265-8977, or online.
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