Sports stats



Saginaw Spirit

Christopoulos Nets Hatty as Spirit Defeat Frontenacs, 7-2

March 8, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw Spirit's Alex Christopoulos on game night
Saginaw Spirit's Alex Christopoulos on game night
(Saginaw Spirit, Credit: Steven Frank)

Saginaw, Mich. - The Saginaw Spirit (45-15-1-1) repeat history against the Kingston Frontenacs (28-30-3-0) in a convincing 7-2 win at the Dow Event Center on Friday evening. Alex Christopoulos produced 3 goals in his first hat trick of the season, Michael Misa finished with three assistsand Rodwin Dionicio added two of his own. JJ Salajko started for the Frontenacs turning away 20 of 27, while Nolan Lalonde stood tall for Saginaw blocking 21 of 23.

Saginaw's 45th win of the season matches the team record set during the 2018-2019 season.

At 14:16 into the first, Gage Hayes collected the puck in the Frontenacs' zone and dished a pass up ice finding Luke McNamara. The former Saginaw center drove down the left side boards, being pushed on all the way by the Saginaw defense, before throwing a pass to the front of the crease. Nolan Lalonde followed the puck across the crease but not before Nathan Poole crashed to the net and quickly back-hand tapped the puck past the sliding Saginaw goaltender. Poole's eighth of the season from McNamara and Hayes gave Kingston the late 1-0.

Saginaw responded back at 18:22 into the period off of a tenacious forecheck by Michael Misa. After dumping the puck in, Spirit winger Michael Misa crashed into the zone, hoping to disrupt the Kingston breakout. After pushing the pass to the penalty box sideboards, Misa stripped the Frontenacs' defender and regained possession. A pass-through zone found the stick of Alex Christopoulos blazing toward the net. A quick shot past the outstretched blocker of JJ Salajko was all Christopoulos needed for his 21st of the season, and to tie the game up entering intermission.

At the end of the first, Saginaw and Kingston were knotted up at one a piece. Saginaw outshot the Frontenacs 10 to 6 in the first and neither team received any powerplay chances.

At 4:11 into the second, the Saginaw attack pulled the puck out of the Frontenacs zone and circled back looking for an opening. Rodwin Dionico took the puck and fired a pass up the right-wing boards finding the stick of Michael Misa. The seventeen-year-old winger crossed into the Kingston zone and dropped the puck behind him for Zayne Parekh. The draft eligible defensemen collected the puck at the right circle, paused, then lasered a shot past Salajko for his 31st of the season and setting up Saginaw with a 2-1 lead.

The Spirit's lead was extended at 12:33 into the second by the team's leading goal scorer Owen Beck. Off a right dot faceoff, Sebastien Gervais won the draw over to Calem Mangone who quickly tapped the puck up to Beck, who fired a shot. A good save by Salajko left the puck rolling on the deck and up for grabs. Beck again dug the puck out of the pile and fired a shot on net. Salajko, again, skillfully moved the puck to the corner, allowing Beck to retrieve it. Beck collected the puck, skated up near the blue line, and let loose a blazing shot that rocketed past the screened Salajko for Beck's 33rd of the season, and expanding the Saginaw lead to two.

2:11 later, Kingston got back into the game with a goal by Christopher Thibodeau. Ethan Miedema worked the puck from behind the net, feeding Thibodeau to get the Fronts within a goal.

Just before the end of the period, Saginaw forced an offensive zone turnover, held by Jorian Donovan who was seated atop the blueline. Donovan quickly moved the puck over to Rodwin Dionicio who looked toward the goal. After seeing Alex Christopoulos calling for the puck with his stick held high, Dionicio fired a pass through the defense right in the wheelhouse of Christopoulos. A one-time shot found the net for his second of the night.

At the conclusion of the second period, Saginaw led 4-2 while being even with Kingston in shots for the period at nine apiece.

5:00 into the final frame, Will Bishop collected the puck off a failed Frontenacs chance and fired a pass off the sideboard glass just barely colliding with the top and floating over the Frontenacs defender. Josh Bloom, fresh off the bench, picked up the puck in the neutral zone and raced into the Kingston zone. A quick wrister from Bloom found the open five-hole of Salajko for his tenth of the season, making him the 13th Spirit player to double-digit goals, and extending the Saginaw lead to three.

With five minutes left in the third period, JJ Salajko was called to the bench in favor of the extra attacker. After fending off Kingston's chances Hunter Haight intercepted a pass and found Michael Misa exiting the zone. Misa, in turn, fired a pass up to Nic Sima who slid the puck into the open net for his seventh of the season and setting a 6-2 Saginaw lead.

Before the final buzzer, Alex Christopoulos intercepted a Kingston clear right in the slot, and fired home a shot past Salajko and into the netting for his third of the game, 23rd of the season, and first hat-trick of the season to ice the 7-2 Saginaw win.

The Spirit's next game is tomorrow on March 9th to face the Guelph Storm at the Dow Event Center with a start time of 7:05 PM.

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics




Images from this story

Saginaw Spirit's Alex Christopoulos on game night
Saginaw Spirit's Alex Christopoulos on game night
(Steven Frank)		   

• Discuss this story on the Ontario Hockey League message board...

Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 8, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central