Flint Scores Four In The Third To Beat Sarnia 6-3

By Carl Chimenti

The Flint Firebirds (32-12-3-2) broke open a close game with a four goal third period to beat the Sarnia Sting (14-28-5-1) 6-3 Saturday night at the Dort Financial Center. The game was tied 2-2 entering the final period, but goals from Kevin He (Winnipeg Jets) at 3:15 put the Firebirds in front for good. He had a five point night that included a pair of goals and was named the first star.

Christopher Thibodeau’s goal at 8:44 proved to be the game winner. Jimmy Lombardi (Los Angeles Kings) added the insurance goal with the man-advantage 31 seconds later at 9:15. Lombardi had a three point night with a couple of goals and was the second star. Flint’s He scored a short-handed goal at 10:44.

Sarnia scored their third power-play goal of the game late at 19:49 as Brenner Lammens (7th) scored off a rebound shot from Matthew Manza to wrap up the scoring. Tyler Challenger, who had two goals (5) and an assist, was credited with the helper along with Manza. Lammens had a goal and an assist. Both Manza and Cameron Aucoin had a pair of assists in the game.

Sting goaltender Kale Osipenko started in net and played 50:44 before being replaced by Patrick Quinlan in the final 9:16 of the third period. Osipenko turned away 29 of 35 shots and Quinlan stopped both of the two shots he faced. Flint’s Nathan Aspinall (New York Rangers) had third star honors with three assists.

The two teams posted 37 shots on net. There was a total of five power-play goals, as Sarnia went 3/8 and Flint 2/4. The Firebirds goaltender Mason Vaccari was sharp as he stopped 34 of 37 shots.

The Firebirds owned the first period as they out-shot the Sting 17-5. Osipenko was terrific as he stopped 16 of those, with more than a few in the high danger zone. Lombardi from the high slot scored at 9:04 from He and Aspinall.

Sarnia came out strong in the second period scoring two goals on the power-play while out-shooting Flint 13-10. Challenger’s goal at 4:34 tied the game at 1-1. Manza got the puck back to Cameron Aucoin at the point and Aucoin fed Challenger in the right circle and his one timer beat Vaccari.

Luka Graziano scored a power-play goal for the Firebirds to put them back in front at 11:02. Once again He and Aspinall assisted on the goal. The Sting tied the game at 2-2 on a late power-play goal. Challenger, from the exact spot as his first period goal, beat Vaccari with another one timer at 18:35. Cameron Aucoin and Brenner Lammens drew the assists.