Things just got away from the Attack in this one.
Simon Slavicek broke a 3-3 tie with just over five minutes remaining in the third, and Coulson Pitre added one after that as the Flint Firebirds downed the Owen Sound Attack 5-3 in Ontario Hockey League action Wednesday night at the Dort Financial Center.
Flint scored four unanswered, rallying from 3-1 down in the second period.
New addition Oliver Peer scored twice, and Nolan Dann also added a goal for the Firebirds, which heavily outshot Owen Sound 47-26.
Sam McCue had a pair of goals for the Attack. Cedrick Guindon also scored.
Peer, who was making his debut for the Firebirds after being acquired from the Windsor Spitfires, opened the scoring for Flint at 12:09 of the first period. He fired a shot through traffic from inside the blueline that found its way past Carter George to make it 1-0.
The Attack tied it with 27 seconds left in the first. Deni Goure skated along the right-wing and put a shot to the net, and the rebound kicked out to McCue in front and he quickly put a shot past Nathan Day.
Owen Sound would take its first lead at 7:17 of the second, connecting on the power play. Servac Petrovsky, back in the Attack lineup after being away for a month with Slovakia at the World Junior Hockey Championship, put a stretch pass on the stick of Landen Hookey. He broke into the offensive zone on a 2-on-1, and found McCue open in front with a pass. The Sudbury native made no mistake, whipping a high shot over the blocker of Day for his second of the game. 3-1 Owen Sound.
But Flint would answer less than two minutes later. It was Peer again. The Burlington native broke down the right-wing with a burst of speed and got a step around the defender, then went backhand-forehand and stuck a shot past the blocker of George to cut the Attack lead to one.
Dann tied it with 29 seconds remaining in the second. He rushed down the left side and shot as he stepped inside the top of the circle, beating George low to tie the game.
Flint regained the lead with 5:06 remaining in the third period. Slavicek rushed on the right side and bulled his way to the net, moving the puck onto his forehand and putting a quick low shot past the right pad of George. 4-3 Flint.
Less than two minutes later the home side would add another. Dann had a nice touch in the neutral zone on a breakout pass from new Firebird Roberto Mancini, springing Coulson Pitre. He and brother Kaden moved in on a 2-on-1. Coulson, the puck carrier on the left-wing, kept and snapped one over the left pad and under the glove of George. It was Flint’s fourth unanswered goal, and put them ahead 5-3 with 3:09 to go.
The Attack never pulled their goalie for an extra attacker.
Day made 23 saves in the win, while George stopped 42 taking the loss. The Firebirds outshot the Attack 47-26 while going 0 for 1 on the power play; Owen Sound finished 2 for 4.
The loss was Owen Sound’s (18-17-2-1) second straight. The Firebirds (16-20-2-1) picked up just their third win in the past 10 games.
Next up for the Attack is a home game against the Ottawa 67’s (18-15-3) on Saturday. It’s a rare 4 p.m., start at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.
BROWNIE AND PETRA BACK
Two members of the Attack organization made their returns Wednesday night, after spending a month overseas at the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden. Servac Petrovsky played for Slovakia. And Owen Sound head athletic therapist Andy Brown was part of Canada’s staff. Both were back with the Attack for the game in Flint.
SEDLEY OUT AGAIN
Attack overage defenceman Sam Sedley missed his second straight game. He suffered an upper-body injury in last Friday’s 5-4 overtime win over the Niagara Ice Dogs. Interim coach Darren Rumble says Sedley is not expected to return this weekend, which puts him in line to miss Saturday’s game against Ottawa and Sunday’s in London. Rumble says the team “hopes” Sedley will be ready to return by next Thursday, when the Attack visit the Peterborough Petes to start a three-game road trip.
NO MORE MOVES FOR ATTACK
The OHL trade deadline was on Wednesday, and the Attack didn’t make any further additions. The team made a trade last week with the Peterborough Petes, bringing in defenceman Konnor Smith and forward Sam McCue for rookie forward Nico Addy, defenceman Martin Matejicek and a draft pick.
It sounds like the Attack tried to make more happen, but nothing else came together in what was a competitive trade market for buyers this season.
“We were certainly looking to bolster our group, whether it was defence or forward,” says Attack GM Dale DeGray in an interview. “Obviously, we kicked it off on (Jan. 2) making the trade with Peterborough, but we’d hoped to be in on at least one more and maybe a couple, which I believe we were in on. But I think as anyone who follows the league and this trade deadline (knows), things can get heated up pretty quick.”
“Certain teams can get excited about the possibility of adding players, and almost single-handedly overpay,” DeGray continues. “I’ve been doing it a long time and it’s hard for me to get my head around some of the prices. But to each their own.”
You can hear DeGray’s post OHL trade deadline comments below:
