Generals Dropped By Dayton, at Home, on Veterans' Day

The Flint Generals hosted the Dayton Gems, for an evening home game at Perani Arena, on Veteran's Day.

0 for 3.

That's the number of wins, compared to chances, the Generals have had to beat Dayton this season.

Five for forty-one.

That's the number of times the Flint Generals have scored a power play goal, compared to the number of opportunities given.

Perhaps the achille's heel of this hockey team is the lack of execution in the special teams department.

11.36% effectiveness rate on the power play, that puts the Generals in the sixth spot in the IHL. The dismal Generals power play is second worst in the league, just a few points better than the Quad City Mallards'.

To put this simply folks, you can't win hockey games if you DON'T score goals, especially with the man advantage.

A healthy special teams unit could very well be the difference between being 3-7, or being 7-3.

John Ronan was able to contribute a goal in the early goings of the first period, as the puck took a nonchalant bounce off of the shoulder of Gem goaltender, Ryan Mior, trickling past the goal-line. 

Ronan's goal, his first in the last five games, put the Generals up, 1-0.

Not only did the Generals fail to capitalize on Dayton turnovers in their own zone, but four straight minutes with the man advantage couldn't produce a goal for them either.

J.F. Labbe's splendid goaltending wasn't enough to keep the G-men afloat Wednesday night against the Dayton Gems. Labbe needed a push from the offense, as he posted just over forty five minutes of shutout hockey.

The acquisition of LW Alec Kirschner proved to be fruitful immediately, he tallied his first goal as a General in the second period, that put the hometowners up, 2-1.

Kirschner's goal was the push desperately needed to ward of the Gems, giving the Generals a little breathing room.

That lead did not hold.

Dayton was able to cash in on one of their power play opportunities, however. Matt Aufrey's wrap around goal tied the game at two a piece, allowing the Gems to go 1 for 3 with the man advantage.

Was this just another case in which Flint would squander yet another superb showing by their goaltender?

Yes.

Yes, it was.

The Generals outshot the visiting Gems 31-30, but there would be an extra frame needed to settle this one. 

After five minutes of overtime, the match was still stuck a 2-2 tie.

The stalemate after overtime resulted in a shootout that didn't work out in the Generals' favor.

Dayton's Edgar Brancis beat J.F. Labbe to end the game in the Gems' favor.

Labbe turned away 35 of 37 shots faced in an effort where he received little help from his offense.

The General penalty kill was 2 for 3 on the night, 2nd overall in the IHL at 85.1%.

Flint drops to 3-7, they'll travel to the west side of the state to skate with Muskegon on Friday, November 13th.