Flint, Mi —
Flint’s coldest day of the year so far couldn’t keep fans at home, or keep the Flint Coneydogs from packing the Dort Financial Center. Coneydogs? Yes! On January 24, the Flint Firebirds rebranded for one night only to honor a true Flint staple: the Flint coney dog.
Sporting special edition, one-night-only jerseys in mustard yellow, chili brown, and Koegel red, the Flint Coneydogs took to the ice with momentum. Entering the night at 31-11-2-2, Flint sat atop both its division and conference and was coming off a road victory in Windsor the night before.
After a chippy, physical start, the first period ended scoreless. Both teams generated chances, Flint outshooting Windsor 11–9, but neither side could break through. With just 15 seconds remaining in the period, Flint’s Daran Anderson (22) was sent to the box for slashing, putting the Coneydogs on the penalty kill heading into intermission.
Flint successfully killed the penalty, but the physical play continued early in the second. Just 1:20 in, Windsor’s Jack Nesbitt (71) and Flint’s Josh Colosimo (13) dropped the gloves, earning majors and extended time in the box for both.
Windsor broke the deadlock at 6:47 of the second period when Jakub Fibigr (9) finished a play set up by Nathan Villeneuve (89) and Liam Greentree (66).
The third period opened with renewed energy from the home crowd, and the patience finally paid off. Sustained pressure in the Windsor zone led to a game-tying goal by Darels Uljanskis (8), evening the score at 1–1.
That momentum was short-lived. Just 1:17 later, Fibigr struck again, springing a breakaway and dishing the puck to Caden Harvey (11), who put Windsor back on top.
With 4:47 remaining, controversy erupted. Flint appeared to tie the game, but the play was sent to review. As the crowd chanted, “IT’S A GOAL! IT’S A GOAL!” officials ultimately waved it off, drawing loud boos from the stands. Windsor maintained its 2–1 lead.
As time ticked down, Flint pressed for an equalizer. With just over three minutes left, Windsor’s Wyatt Kennedy high-sticked Alex Kostov (47), giving the Coneydogs a crucial power play. Instead, it was Windsor who capitalized. While shorthanded, Carson Woodall (24) found Greentree for a breakaway insurance goal with two minutes remaining.
Growing frustration led Flint to pull goaltender Mason Vaccari (1) in hopes of a late comeback, but the deficit proved too much. In the closing moments, Windsor’s Connor Walton (28) sealed the game with an empty-net goal.
The final score: Windsor 4, Flint 1.
The loss moves the Flint Firebirds to 31-12-2-2, while the Windsor Spitfires improve to 30-10-5-1. The Firebirds return home this Friday, 7 pm, at the Dort Financial Center.
