Pierce Mbuyi scored with seven minutes to go in the third to lift the Owen Sound Attack to a 4-3 win over the Flint Firebirds in Ontario Hockey League action Wednesday night at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.
Caden Taylor, Max Delisle and Nick Sykora also scored for Owen Sound (26-31-4-5), which battled back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to pick up two big points in their battle with Guelph and Saginaw for sixth in the OHL’s Western Conference.
Darian Anderson had a pair of goals for Flint (43-17-4-3). Xavier Tessier also scored. The Firebirds took their second loss in as many nights. Their West Division title hopes took a big hit by leaving Owen Sound without a point.
Flint is one point back of Windsor with just one game to go, leaving the Spitfires two opportunities to lock up the division title themselves during the final weekend of the OHL regular season.
Mbuyi fired home a one-time shot that snuck past Mason Courville on a delayed penalty call against Flint at 13:02 of the third period. The Attack captain’s 31st of the season put Owen Sound in front for good.
Anderson notched his second of the game earlier in the third, bringing the Firebirds back even 3-3. The Attack had a 3-2 leading heading to the third.
Two goals in just 20 seconds towards the end of the second period gave the Attack their first lead of the game. Taylor tied the game 2-2 at 14:22 of the second, scoring for the third straight game. And then just 20 seconds later, a Noah Roberts point shot deflected off the backside of Max Delisle and past Courville to make it 3-2 Attack.
It was the first goal since Jan. 28 for Owen Sound’s rookie forward.
Sykora also scored in the three-goal second period for the Attack.
Trenten Bennett made 34 saves in the win, while Courville stopped 32 taking the loss. Flint outshot Owen Sound 37-36 while going 1 for 2 on the power play; the Attack finished 0 for 1.
There’s two games to go for the Attack. They could clinch sixth in the Western Conference during their trip to the Sleeman Centre in Guelph on Friday. Any win over the Storm and the Attack will finish at least seventh. If the Attack win and Saginaw lose Friday, then Owen Sound will clinch sixth.
Right now, the Attack are alone in sixth — two points ahead of both Guelph and Saginaw. The Storm lost 6-2 to London Knights Wednesday. While Saginaw picked up a big 4-3 win over Soo Greyhounds to keep pace with the Attack, and move into a tie for seventh with Guelph.