Yetman marker lifts Otters past Firebirds 4-3 in Pre-Season test

The Flint Firebirds charged back from a 3-1 deficit in the first six minutes of the final period only to once again fall by a single goal on day two of OHL Pre-Season Showcase tournament in Buffalo on Saturday (Sept. 2, 2017).

The Erie Otters, a perennial powerhouse and a Memorial Cup finalist last season used a powerplay goal from Chad Yetman, 17, from Ontario just before the halfway mark of the period as the game winner in a 4-3 edge against the Firebirds.

In its first two games of the pre-season, at the Harbor Center in Buffalo, the Firebirds have faced both teams from the 2017 Memorial Cup Championship game and dropped both by a single goal.

The Firebirds never led in this one as Luke Kirwan, 19, from New York pulled his team even 5:11 into the contest with a solo effort after Pat Fellows, 20, from Ontario opened the scoring for the Otters 79 seconds earlier.

Fellows added another later in the period and Carson Edwardson, 18, from Ontario doubled the margin with the only goal of the middle frame.

Nicholas Caamano, 18, from Ontario pulled one back for the Firebirds 5:30 into the third from Ryan Littlejohn, 17, from Ontario. Hakon Nilsen, 19, from Florida notched the equalizer 30 seconds later from Hunter Holmes, 17, from Ontario and Caamano. Both goals came on Flint powerplays.

Once again, both teams were even on the shot clock, Anand Oberoi turning aside 30 of 33 shots in goal for the Otters while Garrett Forrest, 20, from Virginia turned aside 29 in goal for the Firebirds.

The Firebirds will be back in action on Sunday (Sept. 3), wrapping up play at the six-team Showcase event against the North Bay Battalion.