5 months ago
- High School Sports
- Published: Jan. 02, 2026, 11:50 a.m.
FLINT – The Flint Firebirds closed retired 2025 winners of 3 of its past 4 and astatine nan apical of nan Ontario Hockey League’s Western Conference.
The Firebirds (25-8-2-2) are presently tied for nan second-highest triumph full and are 3rd successful nan OHL successful points pinch 54.
With conscionable nether half of nan play remaining, nan Firebirds are only 9 points and 4 wins awkward of its full successful nan 2024-25 season.
Ending 2025 strong
The Firebirds started nan 3-1 agelong pinch a 4-3 triumph complete nan Niagara IceDogs connected Dec. 19 arsenic Darian Anderson scored a brace of goals and Alex Kostov and Chase Hull each recovered nan backmost of nan net.
Five different Firebirds recovered nan backmost of nan nett against nan Erie Otters connected Dec. 20 to tally a 5-3 win, pinch Jimmy Lombardi posting a extremity and an assistance and Nathan Aspinall collecting 3 assists.
Anderson recovered nan backmost of nan nett again, while Urban Podrekar, Dryden Allen and Christopher Thibodeau each added a extremity successful nan win.
The Windsor Spitfires, presently 3rd successful nan Western Conference, defeated nan Firebirds 4-1 connected Dec. 28 to support nan Firebirds from reaching a three-game winning streak mark.
With 1 last chance to extremity 2025 successful nan triumph column, nan Firebirds defeated nan Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 3-1 connected Dec. 31.
Thibodeau netted a brace of goals, while Brady Smith added a people successful nan win. Mason Vaccari stopped 21 shots successful nett for nan Firebirds.
Firebirds make waste and acquisition scatter for move scorer
The Firebirds person each their cards connected nan array this season, particularly aft making a big-time scatter successful nan waste and acquisition department.
The Firebirds announced a waste and acquisition pinch nan Niagara IceDogs connected Dec. 28, sending Chase Hull, 2 2nd rounders, 3 3rd rounders, and a 4th and sixth-round prime for IceDogs’ skipper Kevin He, Darcy Dewatcher, and a 2nd and fourth-round pick.
He, 19, is nan headliner of nan trade, serving arsenic nan IceDogs skipper nan past 2 seasons and posting 14 goals and 17 assists successful 28 games. He has collected 102 goals and 91 assists successful complete 220 games played pinch nan IceDogs.
The first-ever Chinese-born subordinate to motion a National Hockey League contract, He was selected successful nan 4th information of nan 2024 NHL Draft by nan Winnipeg Jets. The Jets signed him to an entry-level statement successful December of 2024.
He is simply a 6-foot, 182-pound near helping who has already made an effect for nan Firebirds, securing an assistance successful his Firebirds debut successful a 3-1 triumph complete nan Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds connected Dec. 31.
Dewatcher is simply a 2007-born defenseman pinch 43 OHL games played complete nan past 2 seasons pinch nan IceDogs but has alternatively played this play successful nan Ontario Junior Hockey League pinch nan Niagara Falls Canucks. He has a extremity and 2 assists this season.
The Firebirds besides dealt a fourth-round prime to nan Brantford Bulldogs successful speech for defenseman Jude Bray.
Bray is presently playing for nan Sherwood Park Crusaders successful nan British Columbia Hockey League, wherever he has 4 goals and 9 assists successful 17 games.
The 17-year-old left-hander is presently committed to play collegiate lucky astatine Penn State University.
Stat leaders
Nathan Aspinall continues to person a profession year, starring nan OHL successful points (51) while starring nan Firebirds successful some goals (22) and assists (29) this season.
Kostov, who tied nan highest constituent streak successful nan OHL this play pinch 18 games, is 2nd connected nan squad successful points pinch 43 (19 goals and 24 assists), while Jimmy Lombardi is successful 3rd pinch 41 points (21 goals and 20 assists).
Kostov has been nan Firebirds’ go-to scorer connected nan powerfulness play, holding a team-high 8 goals, while Podrekar has dished retired a team-high 9 assists connected nan powerfulness play.
Vaccari continues to beryllium everything nan Firebirds hoped he’d beryllium successful net, starring nan OHL successful wins (20) while posting a 2.56 GAA and 0.916 SV%. He besides had 2 shutouts this season.
Greetings! Here astatine MLive.com, I americium nan sports newsman for nan Flint Journal. I've covered sports of each levels for astir six years, chiefly focusing connected Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne County my first 5 years....
