Barabanov, Gervais Each Score Twice in Loss to Knights
OHL Saginaw Spirit

Barabanov, Gervais Each Score Twice in Loss to Knights

Published on November 29, 2025 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw Spirit left wing Sebastien Gervais (right) vs. the London Knights
Saginaw Spirit left wing Sebastien Gervais (right) vs. the London Knights
(Saginaw Spirit, Credit: Steven Frank Imagery)

Saginaw, Mich. - The Saginaw Spirit played the second game of a back-to-back against the London Knights, falling 8-5 on Saturday night. Braiden Clark, Jared Wooley, and Jaxon Cover had three-point nights for the Knights, and Sebastien Gervais scored his fourth and fifth goals in three games for the Spirit. Egor Barabanov had two goals and an assist.

After a strong defensive start for both teams, Stepan Shurygin would put in his bid for save of the year at 7:01. Shurygin leaped across the crease during a two-on-one to make a fantastic glove save on Cohen Bidgood's shot to keep the game scoreless.

The London Knights picked up the lone goal in the first, with Rene Van Bommel beating Stepan Shurygin with a tip-in from outside the crease. Andoni Fimis and Jared Wooley picked up the assists at 16:06 to make it 1-0 for the Knights.

After 1: SAG 1 - 0 LDN (Total Shots: 6 - 13)

1:49 into the second, the Knights extended their lead to two on the power play, with Henry Brzustewicz firing one in from the point blocker side. Sam O'Reilly and Cohen Bidgood picked up the assists as the Knights led 2-0 early in the second.

Jared Woolley picked up his second point of the game on a two-on-one break during a four-on-four. Woolley fired in Ben Wilmott's pass glove side at 9:16 for the Knights' third unanswered goal.

Xander Velliaris responded for the Spirit after he tipped in a pass from Jacob Cloutier to cut the lead to two. Carson Harmer picked up the secondary assist for his fourth point in two games this weekend to make it 3-1.

Six seconds into a power play, Ben Wilmott scored his 10th of the season after he fired in a one-timer from the right circle. Braidy Wassilyn picked up the primary assist, and Henry Brzustewicz earned his second point of the game with the secondary assist at 11:10.

The Knights scored their fourth goal of the period on the power play, with Evan Van Gorp tipping in a pass over Shurygin's glove for his fifth of the season. Jaxon Cover got his 20th career OHL point with the primary assist, and Andoni Fimis earned his second career multi-point game with the secondary assist at 16:21.

Barabanov picked up his 11th goal of the season after he cleaned a rebound from Levi Harper's shot. James Guo picked up the secondary as the Spirit entered the third period facing a 5-2 deficit.

After 2: SAG 2 - 5 LDN (2nd period shots: 10 - 17 Total shots: 30 - 16)

Sebastien Gervais scored his third goal in three games to cut the lead to two, beating Aleksei Medvedev through the five-hole with a sharp-angle shot. Nic Sima picked up the assist, as the Knights led 5-3 with 14:22 left in the third.

Jaxon Cover responded for the Knights, firing one high blocker side from the left circle for his second point of the game. Braiden Clark extended his point streak to four games with the primary assist, and Rene Van Bommel picked up the secondary assist for his second point of the game at 5:38.

Barabanov scored his second of the game after stick-handling his way to the slot and tipping in his own rebound at 10:37. Nikita Klepov had the primary assist, and Xander Velliaris picked up the secondary for his second point of the game to make it 6-4.

The Knights restored the three-goal lead after Jaxon Cover found Braiden Clark alone in the slot to make it 7-3 for the Knights. Cohen Bidgood picked up the secondary assist to give him and Clark two-point games, and Cover picked up his first career three-point game with the assist at 11:42.

With 5:28 left in the third, Sebastien Gervais scored his second of the game after he batted in the rebound for his ninth of the season. Dima Zhilkin picked up the assist, and Egor Barabanov picked up his third point of the game with the secondary assist to make it a 7-5 game in favor of the Knights.

Sam O'Reilly scored his second point of the game after he got the empty net goal at 17:38. Braiden Clark and Jared Wooley picked up the assists for their third points of the game, and the London Knights took home the win 8-5.

Final: SAG 5 - 8 LDN (3rd period shots 20 - 6, Total shots 36 - 36)

Powerplays: SAG 0/3 LDN 3/7

Goaltenders: SAG: Stepan Shurygin (28 saves, 36 shots) LDN: (31 saves, 36 shots)

The Saginaw Spirit play next Friday, December 5th, against the Guelph Storm at the Sleeman Centre. Puck drop is at 7:07pm.

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Images from this story

Saginaw Spirit left wing Sebastien Gervais (right) vs. the London Knights
Saginaw Spirit left wing Sebastien Gervais (right) vs. the London Knights
(Steven Frank Imagery)		   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 29, 2025


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