Lombardi, 9th-Ranked Firebirds Take Down 7th-Ranked Storm on the Road
October 7, 2022 – Ontario Hockey League (OHL) – Flint Firebirds News Release
Guelph, Ont. – The Flint Firebirds wrapped up a two-game road trip in Guelph tonight in the first matchup of Kia CHL Top 10 teams in the Ontario Hockey League this year. It was the 9th-ranked Firebirds who reeled off three unanswered goals in the 3rd Period to skate their way to a 5-3 win over the 7th-ranked Storm. Jacob Oster got his third start in net of the year and made 23 shots on 27 saves. Nathan Day made his 2022-23 season debut for Flint and was excellent stopping 29 of 32. Amadeus Lombardi (Detroit Red Wings) led the way for Flint with a goal and three assists to pick up First-Star honors. Brennan Othmann (New York Rangers) and Riley Piercey, who was named Third Star, added three points each.
The game started with fast pace back-and-forth action with each team generating three shots in the opening minutes. Guelph was awarded the first powerplay of the game and capitalized 54 seconds in. Sasha Pastujov (Anaheim Ducks) ripped a one-timer from the near circle that went high to the blocker of Day giving the Storm a 1-0 lead. Michael Buchinger (St. Louis Blues) and Matthew Poitras (Boston Bruins) added the assists on the opening goal 6:48 into the first.
After Brennan Othmann, Riley Piercey and Dmitry Kuzmin (Winnipeg) all had chances on Oster, the Firebirds received their second penalty of the game, this time for too many men. Great saves by Day and selfless blocks by Tyler Deline and Gavin Hayes killed things off with just over three minutes left in the opening 20.
Shortly after, a giveaway in the neutral zone led to a Braeden Bowman breakaway. He faked right, pulled it to his backhand and tucked it into an open net to give Guelph a 2-0 lead with 2:41 remaining in the first.
The Firebirds received their first man-advantage with exactly 60 seconds left in the frame. They were unable to convert and hit the intermission trailing 2-0. The Storm finished the opening frame outshooting Flint 13-11, and it was the Birds outdrawing Guelph 11-9.
Despite being unable to convert on the man advantage, the Firebirds struck back early in the 2nd. Amadeus Lombardi sprung Othmann at center ice who skated in all alone. As he pulled the puck to the backhand he tucked it between the pads of Oster to make it a 2-1 game 1:35 into the frame.
The game continued to be a track meet for much of the 2nd Period. After a shot from the point and scramble in front, the puck squirted free to the nearside post where only Valentin Zhugin knew where it was. Before he could jam it home, Day stretched his right leg out to hug the post and made a crucial save to keep it a one-goal game.
The Firebirds tied things up moments later. On the powerplay, good passing atop the zone led to Amadeus Lombardi walking in the far circle and sniping one just under the crossbar to make it 2-2. Othmann and Tristan Bertucci added the assists at the goal scored at the 14:02 mark of the 2nd.
Just under four minutes later, while short-handed, Danny Zhilkin cut into the Firebirds’ zone and was taken down in front of the net. He was awarded a penalty shot and waited out Day long enough for his second of the year to give Guelph the lead back with 2:07 left in the 2nd.
Sasha Pastujov took an interference penalty late in the 2nd and after being unable to score, Flint hit the locker room down one and with 26 seconds of carryover powerplay time.
Shots read 12-6 Guelph and 12-5 in the face-off department in the middle stanza.
The Firebirds were unable to convert on the powerplay but applied steady pressure to start the 3rd and it paid off. Amadeus Lombardi made a great steal in the offensive end, found Riley Piercey on the near post who one-touched it across the crease to Samuel Assinewai for his first of the year, tying things up at three 5:36 into the 3rd.
Amadeus Lombardi continued his assault on the Storm. He raced up ice and kicked away the outlet pass in the offensive zone. It ended up right on the stick of Piercey who wasted no time burying home the go-ahead goal with a quick snapshot low to the glove.
The Firebirds survived a few flurries of chances down the stretch from Guelph before Othmann stole the puck at the offensive blue line and sauced one over to Piercey who iced the game into the empty net with 15.7 seconds left.
The final shots read 32-28 Storm and they outdrew Flint as well 32-30. Both teams ended 1-for-4 with the man advantage.
Next Up: The Firebirds will return to the Dort Financial Center for a Saturday night tilt with the Sudbury Wolves. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. (ET) in Flint and tickets are available now from Etix.
• Discuss this story on the Ontario Hockey League message board…
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
