OHL Saginaw Spirit

Game Day Preview: Spirit Face Otters on Shocks and Saves Night at the Dow

Published on February 1, 2020 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw, MI. -- Two of the top four 2020 NHL Draft prospects will be on display Saturday, February 1 in Saginaw, Michigan where Cole Perfetti and the West Division leading Saginaw Spirit (30-14-2-2 64 pts.) hosts Jamie Drysdale and the Erie Otters (20-17-2-6 48 pts.) on the 13th annual Shocks and Saves Night presented by Pulse 3 Foundation at The Dow Event Center.  Puck drop for the second of four regular season meetings begins at 7:05 p.m.

The Spirit was victorious in the first meeting of the season 4-2 over the Otters on the road.  Saginaw has won five straight games and eight of the last nine games against the Erie Otters.

Prior to the Spirit and Otters battle Saturday, Jiri Fischer, Darren McCarty and other Detroit Red Wings alumni, along with Saginaw celebrities, local EMT's and doctors will take part in a game with the hope to raise funds for Great Lakes Bay public facilities to be equipped with Automatic External Defibrillators or AED's.  There is a 4:00 p.m. puck drop set for the 13th annual Shocks and Saves Charity Game.

Fans can catch the action on the flagship WSGW Newsradio 100.5 FM and www.wsgw.com with Art Lewis and the voice of Saginaw Spirit hockey Joey Battaino on the call.  "Countdown to Face-off" with host Charley Porter begins 15 minutes prior to puck drop.

To purchase tickets to any Saginaw Spirit home game call (989) 497-7747, visit www.saginawspirit.com, or visit the Saginaw Spirit Store at 5789 State Street, Saginaw MI.

The Spirit finished up a five-game road swing Friday night with a 6-3 victory over the West Division rival Sarnia Sting.

2019 Carolina Hurricanes 28th overall pick Ryan Suzuki scored twice in the Spirit's victory over the Sting.  In the nine games since Saginaw acquired Suzuki, the London, Ontario native has six goals and nine assists for 15 points.  The former OHL Priority Draft first overall pick Suzuki has been held without a point in just two games since the trade from the Barrie Colts.

Forward Danil Antropov was given first star honors after he contributed three points in Saginaw's 6-3 victory Friday night.  The North York, Ontario native Antropov was acquired earlier this season via trade with the Oshawa Generals.  Since the trade, the left-winger has five goals and 11 assists for 16 points for the Saginaw Spirit.

Dexter, Michigan native D.J. Busdeker notched his sixth shorthanded goal of the season Friday night, which tied North Bay's Luke Moncada for the OHL lead.  With the goal against the Sting, the overager Busdeker extended his goal streak to four games.

2019 Saginaw Spirit Import Draft first round pick Ilya Solovyov opened the scoring with his fourth goal of the season Friday night against the Sting.  The Belarusian defenseman is third among Saginaw Spirit players with 32 assists this season.

NHL Central Scouting's fourth rated North American 2020 NHL Draft prospect Cole Perfetti dished out two assists in Saginaw's victory over the Sting to extend his point streak to five games.  The Saginaw Spirit leading scorer has points in 16 of the last 17 games, with 40 points during the stretch.  The Whitby, Ontario native Perfetti is second among OHL players this season with 84 points.  With 93 career assists, Perfetti is just one helper from tying Saginaw Spirit alum Josh Shalla (94) for 10th in team-history.

The Erie Otters suffered a 4-3 overtime defeat at the hands of the Flint Firebirds Friday evening at The Dort Federal Event Center in Flint, Michigan.

Defenseman Jamie Drysdale, who is rated as the third rated North American 2020 NHL Draft prospect, dished out his 32nd assist of the season.  The 2018 fourth overall pick of the Erie Otters has 39 points this season in just 37 games. The Toronto, Ontario native earned a gold medal with Hockey Canada in the 2020 U-20 World Junior Championships.

Former Minnesota Wild draft pick Jacob Golden picked up two assists in the overtime defeat Friday night versus the Firebirds.  The overager was awarded with Friday's second star after the two-point effort.

Erie Otters leading scorer Maxim Golod notched his 19th goal of the season in third period to force overtime Friday night.  The Concord, Ontario native Golod is 16th among OHL players this season with 61 points in 46 games.

Whitby, Ontario native Chad Yetman's six-game goal streak came to an end in the matchup against the Firebirds Friday night.  The 19-year old Yetman leads the Erie Otters with 28 goals in 44 games this season.

Erie has four players listed in NHL Central Scoutings North American 2020 NHL Draft mid-term rankings in Jamie Drysdale (3rd), Hayden Fowler (66th), Austen Swankler (200th), and Brendan Hoffmann (217th).

The Saginaw Spirit have a total of five players on their roster with NHL ties.  Ryan Suzuki (Carolina Hurricanes-signed), Blade Jenkins (NY Islanders), Cole Coskey (NY Islanders), Mason Millman (Philadelphia), and Damien Giroux (Minnesota).

Saginaw has two players listed in the NHL Central Scouting North American 2020 NHL Draft Mid-term rankings, including Cole Perfetti (4th) and Ilya Solovyov (119th).

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics

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