Brigden native Kaden Fulcher won his OHL debut in Flint, Michigan Saturday night as the Sarnia Sting beat the Firebirds for the first time in four tries this year.
Fulcher made 21 saves on 24 shots and Pavel Zacha led the offence with two goals and two assists in a 5-3 win.
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Sarnia jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead and were leading 5-1 after 40 minutes. The Sting got into some penalty trouble in the third and the Firebirds scored twice but couldn't close the gap any further.
Sarnia was three for four on the power play. Nikita Korostelev had a goal and an assist, defenceman Jakob Chychrun added three assists, Brandon Lindberg had a shorthanded marker and newly acquired Matt Mistele scored his first goal as a member of the Sting.
Mistele played more than three seasons with the Plymouth Whalers, now the Firebirds, before being traded last year to Oshawa.
Alex Nedelijkovic went the distance in goal for Flint, making 21 saves on 26 shots.
Zacha, a first round pick of the New Jersey Devils, leads the Sting with 26 points in 22 games including 16 goals.
The win moves the Sting (15-10-2) three points ahead of Flint in the OHL West Division and to within four points of first place Windsor with two games in hand.
Sarnia plays its third game in as many days at home to Ottawa Sunday at 2pm in the annual Teddy Bear Toss Game.
Listen to all the action on 103.9 FM, 1070 AM CHOK.