Brennan Othmann's Four Point Game Sparks Firebirds

Brennan Othmann (Natalie Shaver)

Brennan Othmann continued his excellent play with his second four-point game in his last three weeks. Going 2-2-4 helped Othmann's Flint Firebirds earn a 9-6 win over the visiting Erie Otters. 

With his team trailing 2-0 late in the first period, Othmann got them going when he took a pass from one of his defenseman and broke in on Erie's goalie on a breakaway. Othmann scored his 16th of the season at 18:48 and the Firebirds went into the first intermission down 2-1.

In the second after Erie scored to regain their two-goal lead to make it 3-1, Othmann earned his first assist of the night when he was credit with a secondary assist  on a power-play goal at 2:54 making it 3-2. Erie wouldn't go away so they responded to score again for a 4-2 lead, Othmann scored his second of the game when he one-timed a shot past Erie's goalie to make it 4-3 this time at 10:27.

The Firebirds finally took the lead in the third period and Othmann would earn his second assist and fourth point of the game when he fed defenseman Luca D'Amato for what would prove to be the game-winning goal at 7:30 as the Firebirds would go up 7-5.

The Firebirds would add two more goals as they would win 9-6. Othmann was 2-2-4 -3 on six shots as he improved to a New York Rangers prospect best 17-16-33 which also entered him in the OHL's Top Ten scorer's list at number 10.

In addition to being tenth in scoring, Othmann is fifth in the OHL in goals scored.

Dylan Garand (Kamloops Blazers)

Dylan Garand played his last game before heading off to Calgary and Hockey Canada's 2022 World Under-20 Selection Camp. But before he left, Garand got a measure of revenge on the Vancouver Giants stopping 20 of 21 shots as his Kamloops Blazers spanked the Giants 7-1.

Garand who lost to the Giants on December 3rd, had a lot of help from his teammates as they scored four power-play goals over the first two periods jumping out to a 5-0 lead after two periods. Garand faced ten shots in the first but only 11 over the final two periods. 

He would lose his bid for a shutout at 6:09 of the third period when Vancouver would score a power-play goal. That goal was the only successful power play for the Giants who went one for eight.

As Garand departs for the World Under-20's, he leave with a 15-4 record and a 1.85 goals against along with a 0.932 save percentage along with two shutout. Garand is the WHL goalie leader in wins, goals against and save percentage. 

Talyn Boyko went from heartbreaking shootout loss on Tuesday to facing 48 shots on Wednesday as he and his Kelowna Rockets lost to the Everett Silvertips 5-3. The Silvertips are one of the best teams not only in the WHL but the entire CHL (ranked #3 in this weeks poll) and it showed.

Boyko needed to play a perfect game for the Rockets to have a chance at winning and despite the score, that is exactly what he did. Boyko stopped 12 of 13in the first period, 17 out of 20 in the second and 14 out of 15 in the third. 

Two of Everett's goals were power play ones and it is really hard to blame Boyko for the loss here as Everett dominated play for most of the game. Boyko saw his record fall to 6-9-0-1 with a 3.39 goals against and a 0.90 save percentage.

Ryder Korczak was scoreless on two shots as his Moose Jaw Warriors held off the Brandon Wheat Kings 2-1. Korczak was a +1 and a very good 12-5 on his faceoffs as the Warriors reach the .500 mark with a 12-12-1-1 record.

Will Cuylle saw his three-game goal-scoring streak (4-2-6) come to an end as his Windsor Spitfires defeated the Owen Sound Attack 4-1. Cuylle was scoreless on five shots as this was his last game before heading to attend Team Canada's Under-20 selection camp.

Will Cuylle ends his first half 18-7-25 +9 with six power-play goals, two shorthanded goals, and four game-winning goals.

Did Not Play

Hugo Ollas was the backup goalie for his Merrimack Warriors as they dropped a 3-2 OT game with UMass.