Sting Snap Streak With Overtime Mitch Young Hat Trick
By Carl Chimenti
Mitch Young had a night to remember, finishing off a hat-trick in exciting fashion, scoring the game winner in overtime as the Sarnia Sting sent a sold-out crowd of 4,378 into extasy, with a thrilling 6-5, win Friday night, at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena.
Young scored 30 seconds into overtime and was set up by both Marko Sikic and Tyson Doucette. The hat-trick was the first for a Sting player since former Sting Andrew LeBlanc turned the trick back on October 21st, against the Erie Otters, in a 6-4 win. Young was named the first star of the game as he scored goals number 8, 9 and 10 on the year. Marko Sikic also had a big night with four points, that included his 17th of the year and was selected as the second star. Tyson Doucette scored his 23rd of the season as part of a two-point night and Dennis Lominac netted his third of the year. Hughston Hurt had a pair of assists, while Easton Wainwright, Daylen Moses, Nathan Omeri and Sean Doherty added one assist each. Nick Surzycia, stopped 26 of 31 shots to post the victory.
Oliver Peer was the third star as he had a three-point game, that included two goals for Flint. Nathan Aspinall had two assists. Connor Clattenburg scored at 11:36 of the third period to send the game into overtime for the Firebirds. Flint out-shot Sarnia 31-26 and scored the only goal on the power-play.
The first period was an offensive outburst as both teams scored three goals each. Peer, opened up the scoring for Flint at 6:56 from Aspinall. Sarnia tied the game 11:54. Sikic won the draw and the puck came to Hurt who in turn fed a pass to Doucette and he found the back of the net. The Sting went ahead shortly after at 16:35 as Sikic forced a turnover at center ice and was able to go in alone scoring a shorthanded goal from his back hand on the stick side of Firebird goaltender Jacob Brown. Flint’s Roberto Mancini scored a power-play goal 61 seconds later at 17:36 from Peer and Jimmy Lombardi. Young put the Sting back on top at 19:32. The play started from a scrum as Sikic was able to come away with the puck and Omeri came up with the puck and sent a pass to Young, who scored from the point. The lead did not last long as the Firebirds scored the equalizer 18 seconds later at 19:50 on a goal from Jeremy Martin with Aspinall getting the lone assist. Sarnia out-shot Flint 9-8.
The Sting scored twice in the second period, before the Firebirds scored their lone goal. Hurt picked off a pass and feed Moses with a pass to Lominac and he scored at 6:18. The second goal came at 8:19 as Young’s shot from just inside the blue-line had eyes. Doherty and Wainwright set up the goal. The Firebirds goal came at 11:06 as Peer scored his second goal from Markas Samenas and Tristan Bertucci (Dallas Stars). Flint was better on the shot clock at 13-7, but the Sting led 5-4 after forty minutes.