McCourt on fire on Flint
St. Catharines native Riley McCourt is having a breakout season with the Flint Firebirds. Photo by: OHL IMAGES.
Riley McCourt sure knows how to put on a show.
Playing before upwards of 100 family and friends at the Meridian Centre Thursday night, the 19-year-old St. Catharines native picked up three assists and was named the game’s first star as the Flint Firebirds blanked the Niagara IceDogs 4-0.
Every time McCourt’s name was mentioned there was a discernible cheer from the crowd, and following the game the mobile rearguard was mobbed by his fan club under the stands.
McCourt, whose father Mike McCourt is a former IceDogs head coach and current men’s hockey coach at Ridley College, appreciated the support.
“My little sister’s hockey team was here and a whole bunch of people from Ridley and all my family and friends. I have a great support system and having them here is awesome,” he said.
McCourt certainly gave them something to cheer about, setting up the game’s first goal on a perfect pass, then adding another assist which started when he executed an exciting spin-o-rama at the blueline before dishing off the puck.
“Our power play was really good tonight and that really helped,” he said humbly. “For us, it was just clicking and that made things a lot easier.
“When you’re playing with the big guys, they capitalize and that makes things really easy.”
McCourt is having a breakout season for the Firebirds with 17 goals and 56 points in 55 games.
“For me, having a big summer was a big part of it,” said McCourt, who played for both Ridley and the St. Catharines Falcons before graduating to the OHL. “I worked extremely hard and I’m playing with a great group of guys and that makes it a lot easier. Having them, it’s second to none.”
McCourt, who went undrafted, is hoping to continue to climb the hockey ladder next season. He would also be eligible to return to the OHL as a over-ager.
“I’m living in the moment but playing pro is a goal of mine and that’s what I looking forward to,” he said. “At the same time, I don’t want to look too far ahead and continue to work hard day by day and improve on the ice and be a good person off the ice as well.”
The Firebirds have been the hottest team in the OHL with 14 straight wins. They haven’t lost since a 2-0 defeat versus Peterborough Jan. 18.
“The past couple of years haven’t been the best so having a winning season is exciting and something that the city needed and we needed,” McCourt said. “We’re happy about it and we’re just looking to keep it going here.”
The Firebirds added Tyler Tucker and Riley Piercey from Barrie and Quinn Yule from Ottawa at the trade deadline as they look to make an extended run come playoff time.
“Obviously, that was one of our big goals after the trade deadline ramping up and getting ready for the playoffs,” he said. “We have a lot of guys who haven’t been in the playoffs so we’re getting used to (each other) in the regular season is a big thing for us and I think we’re doing a great job of that.
“I think the core group of guys have been in there for a long time and for us to do this is exciting. We’re a family in there. The biggest thing is not looking ahead too far. Guys are taking it one game at a time and it’s paying off.”
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