Three New York Rangers prospects played Wednesday and combined for 4‑6‑10. Flint forwards Jacob Battaglia and Nathan Aspinall helped the Firebirds become the first junior team to reach the next round.
Battaglia and Aspinall Destroy the Attack
Flint routed Owen Sound 6–1 to finish a four‑game sweep. The series was never competitive.
The Ontario Hockey League said Flint’s 35–3 scoring margin and +32 differential set a league playoff record.
Aspinall opened the scoring at 7:49 of the first period. The 6‑foot‑7 captain carried the puck end to end and beat the goalie with a clean shot for his fifth playoff goal.
🚨Nathan Aspinall
🍏Urban Podrekar
🍏Mason Vaccari pic.twitter.com/DmP4jwcJbQ— x – Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) April 1, 2026
Battaglia made it 2–0 at 16:29. He took a pass in front and scored his fourth playoff goal with a simple backhand.
🚨Jacob Battaglia
🍏Alex Kostov
🍏Darels Uljanskis pic.twitter.com/PqDrH20BeK— x – Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) April 1, 2026
Second‑Period Surge
Owen Sound cut the lead to 2–1 early in the second. Flint answered with a power‑play goal at 11:19. Aspinall fed Battaglia, who moved the puck to Jimmy Lombardi for a quick finish and a 3–1 lead.
Both Rangers prospects earned their second points of the night on the play.
Flint struck again 69 seconds later. Battaglia set up Ihnat Pazii for an even‑strength goal that pushed the lead to 4–1.
Goal number five came on the power play. Battaglia scored his fourth point of the night, and Aspinall earned the primary assist for his third.
🚨Jacob Battaglia
🍏Nathan Aspinall
🍏Alex Kostov pic.twitter.com/sAZ29WnEMu— x – Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) April 2, 2026
Aspinall closed the scoring with another power‑play goal. He carried the puck from right to left, waited out a defender who dropped to one knee, and fired a shot that beat the goalie clean.
🚨Nathan Aspinall
🍏Jacob Battaglia
🍏Jimmy Lombardi pic.twitter.com/tp0x1c1Pbn— x – Flint Firebirds (@FlintFirebirds) April 2, 2026
Flint won 6–1 and earned its first series sweep in franchise history. The 35–3 goal count was the largest playoff differential in OHL history.
Battaglia leads the OHL playoffs with 5‑10‑15. Aspinall ranks second with 6‑7‑13. Their combined 11‑17‑28 is a massive total for two players.
Boilard’s Eagles Drop Game Four
Raoul Boilard and the Cape Breton Eagles lost Game 4 of their QMJHL series 5–1 to Newfoundland. Boilard earned a secondary assist on the Eagles’ only goal. He has three assists and five points in the playoffs.
Cape Breton now faces elimination. The series returns to Newfoundland for Game 5 on Friday. Boilard will join Lake Superior State next season.
