Can Flint end Soo streak?
Sooner or later the Soo Greyhounds are going to lose an Ontario Hockey League game. It could be as soon as tonight when the first-place Greyhounds take on the last-place Flint Firebirds.
Why not?
The Greyhounds have won 17 straight games, have a league-best record of 26-3-2 and are due to lose.
On the flip side, the Firebirds have won just three of their last 20 games and are due for a break or two.
As the Soo is not as good as a team that has won 17 straight games — after all, no one is perfect — Flint is not as bad as its overall season record of 9-18-3 might indicate.
To be sure, the rapid fall in Flint over the past 20 games is rather perplexing.
Amid expectations to again be an above .500, sixth or seventh place team in the Western Conference, Flint started the 2017-2018 season on course with a 6-3-1 record over its first 10 games.
But the Firebirds have had their wings clipped in a big way over their past 20 games with an awful record of 3-15-2.
The biggest problem Flint has had is keeping the puck out of its own net, having allowed 147 goals in 30 games, which is the worst mark in the 20-team OHL. Overage goalie Garrett Forrest has struggled with an 8-13-3 record, 4.72 goals against average and .864 save percentage as Flint’s starter.
Again, Flint’s sudden fall over the past 20 games is surprising as the Firebirds do have a decent amount of talent on their roster and are well-coached with second-year bench boss Ryan Oulahen at the helm.
And while there is still time for the Firebirds to make a push at a Western Conference playoff spot, it will require a major turnaround for Flint to recover from the position it has put itself in.
Wouldn’t an upset road victory at the Soo tonight be a good way for Flint to get it going?
An interesting side note to the setup of this game is that the Greyhounds have actually tied the Plymouth Whalers , the 2000 edition who also accrued 17 consecutive wins From Feb 4-March 12 /2000.The Plymouth Whalers became the Flint Firebirds a few years ago after starting out as the Detroit Jr Red Wings previously! You have to love when you can tie in the past to the present! Regardless Hounds go to 18 and tie London!
I knew I could count on you for a good side note, Chris.
P.S. Before the Detroit Jr. Wings they were the Detroit Ambassadors.
Lets GO FIREBIRDS . . . WIN WIN WIN !!
Great Article Randy I hope that you are right !!
too bad he was wrong lol