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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Christopoulos, Castle, Beck Lead Spirit to Victory over Flint Wednesday Night

February 21, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw Spirit celebrate win
Saginaw Spirit celebrate win
(Saginaw Spirit)

Saginaw, Mich. - The Saginaw Spirit (40-14-0-1) rode three goals in 9:14 to a 3-1 win over the visiting Flint Firebirds (24-26-3-1) at the Dow Event Center Wednesday night. Aidan Castle finished with two points (1G, 1A), Matyas Sapovaliv scored his 16th, and Owen Beck netted his team leading 29th of the season. Alex Christopoulos assisted on every Saginaw goal (0G, 3A) and Nolan Lalonde finished off his 16th straight victory stopping 27 of 28 saves in the win.

The first period opened with racing play by Saginaw getting multiple chances in the opening minutes. At 13:04 into the first, Saginaw's Sebastien Gervais was called for an interference penalty behind the Flint net resulting in a Flint powerplay.

Only 12 seconds into the Firebirds' powerplay, Flint winger Alex Kostov was caught slashing the stick out of Jorian Donovan's hand, killing the Firebirds' powerplay, setting up 1:48 of four-on-four hockey.

After neither team was able to break through on the four-on-four, Saginaw notched the first tally on the board at 16:07 of the period. Ethan Hay and Alex Christopoulos worked the puck into the offensive zone. Matyas Sapovaliv tore into the zone, picked up a pass from Hay, and fired a forehand shot past the block of Flint goaltender Nathan Day. Sapovaliv's 16th of the year gave Saginaw a 1-0 lead that they would take into the first intermission.

At the end of the first period, Saginaw led 1-0 while outshooting Flint 16 to 7 and with both teams going 0 for 1 on the powerplay.

The Spirit continued their scoring ways early into the second. After Flint cleared the puck out of their zone, the Saginaw defense collected the puck and fired a pass to Owen Beck. The Saginaw center raced into the zone and dropped the puck off for Alex Christopoulos. The former Windsor player then fired a pass through the center of the ice, hitting Aidan Castle. On the far side of the ice. Castle fired a shot on goal that was knocked down by the goaltender Nathan Day and lay in front of the crease. Beck pounced on the rebound for his team-best 29th of the season and a 2-0 lead.

Castle added a tally of his own just 43 seconds later, outwaiting Day on a loose puck after being fed by Alex Christopoulos. As Day collided with a defender, Castle slipped home the 3-0 goal.

Jeremy Martin got the Firebirds on the board later in the period with his 12th of the year. After being setup by Matthew Wang and Jimmy Lombardi, Martin whacked home his own rebound for the 3-1 score.

At the end of the second period, Saginaw still led 3-1 while continuing to outshoot Flint 14 to 11 in the period and 30 to 18 overall.

At 6:52 into the third, Saginaw's Joey Willis was assessed a two minute minor penalty for hooking in the neutral zone, setting up Flint on a very opportune second powerplay.

Despite the powerplay, and the late extra skater due to pulling Nathan Day, Saginaw held off the Firebirds completing the 3-1 win. Saginaw outshot Flint 37-28 throughout the game with Flint outshooting Saginaw in the third period 10-7.

This win elevated the OHL playoff bound Spirit to (40-14-0-1) while dropping the Flint Firebirds to (24-26-3-1).

Saginaw's next game is Friday, February 23rd where the Spirit will continue their homestand with a visit from the North Bay Battalion, slated for a 7:05 PM puck drop.

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Saginaw Spirit celebrate win
Saginaw Spirit celebrate win
   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 21, 2024


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