Marko Stojkov scored with 2:18 remaining in regulation time to break a 4-4 tie as the Flint Firebirds defeated the London Knights 6-4 on Friday night at Budweiser Gardens.
The goal came just 25 seconds after the Knights had tied the game with their net empty and held up as the game winner.
It was also part of two sets of goals that came 27 and 25 seconds apart in the third period in a wild finish to the first meeting of the season between the teams and the first of a home-and-home that will continue in Flint, Mich., on Saturday night.
The teams exchanged power play goals in the opening period.
Logan Mailloux rocketed a wrist shot over the glove of Nathan Day on a Knight man advantage to make it 1-0 and extend his point streak to seven games. Oliver Bonk assisted on the goal to increase his point streak to seven games as well.
With Flint on a power play late in the period the Firebirds took advantage with London on a line change as Winnipeg Jets prospect Dmitry Kuzmin zoomed across the Knight blue line and found Zacharie Giroux at the 19:13 mark and the teams went to the dressing rooms with a 1-1 tie on the scoreboard.
Giroux put Flint ahead 2-1 just 1:52 into the second period as he blocked a shot in his own zone and then raced to get a puck in centre ice. Giroux cut in from the left side of the London zone and eluded a poke check from Brett Brochu before sliding a backhand into the Knight net.
London tied the game at the 14:30 mark when Connor Federkow found Landon Sim in the slot for his fifth goal of the season.
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Just under two and a half minutes after that, Isaiah George sailed a wrist shot past Day from the middle of the blue line and the Knights were ahead moving to a wild final 20 minutes.
In a 27-second span, the Firebirds tied the game and went ahead on goals by Kuzmin and Lombardi. Kuzmin’s came on a power play and Lombardi’s found a tiny space over the shoulder of Brochu.
London battled back to tie the game 4-4 with 2:43 to go in regulation.
Sean McGurn tipped in a Bonk shot from the middle of the blue line to push his point streak to double digits and square the score.
That tie lasted just 25 seconds.
Stojkov received a pass at the left point and shot it at the London net where it deflected into the air and over the head of Brochu and dropped down into the net.
Ethan Hay added an empty-netter in the final minute to finish the scoring.
The Firebirds outshot London 28-21.
Brody Crane named OHL Player of the Week
Brody Crane’s father Derrick Crane played in the Ontario Hockey League from 1990-1993 and is now able to watch his son Brody as a member of the London Knights.
Watching Brody over a three-game span the elder Crane remarked that, “Brody has been dreaming of a weekend like this.”
Who wouldn’t? Crane scored four times and added three assists and was a plus-3 in those three games and those stats saw him named OHL Player of the Week on Nov. 14. Brody Crane attended rookie camp with the New Jersey Devils this fall and now has six goals and 14 points in 16 games this year.
Namestnikov off to Guelph
When Max Namestrnikov’s brother Vladislav was helping the London Knights to win an Ontario Hockey League championship in 2012, Max was in the stands blowing a green horn. He was eight years old.
Now, Max is an OHL player who has jumped from one London Knights rival to another after being traded from the Sarnia Sting to the Guelph Storm with four draft picks for Anaheim Ducks prospect Sasha Pastujov. Namestnikov is in his second year in the OHL and had seven points in 18 games with the Sting in 2022-23.
Up next
The Knights and Firebirds meet again Saturday at 7 p.m. in Flint, Mich. Following that game London will head north to Sault Ste, Marie, Ont., for a 2 p.m. game against the Greyhounds on Sunday, Nov. 20.
London doubled up Sault Ste. Marie 4-2 at Budweiser Gardens on Nov. 13.
Coverage of both games can be heard on 980 CFPL, at www.980cfpl.ca and on the Radioplayer Canada app.
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