Game Preview: Saginaw Spirit (4) vs Erie Otters (5) Game 1

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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Game Preview: Saginaw Spirit (4) vs Erie Otters (5) Game 1

March 27, 2025 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw, Mich. - The Saginaw Spirit (38-27-2-1 reg. season) host the Erie Otters (34-28-4-2 reg. season) at the Dow Event Center for Game 1 of the OHL Playoffs. Saginaw is looking to defend their 2024 Memorial Cup Championship, while Erie looks to build on last season's first round exit.

Tonight's Game:

Puck drop is at 7:05 PM.

Broadcast:

Radio: 100.5 WSGW, WSGW.com

TV: OHL Live, CHL App, OHL Action Pak Ch. 471

Regular Season:

The Saginaw Spirit finished the regular season with a 38-27-2-1 record, which secured them the fourth seed in the Western Conference. Saginaw closed out the last weekend of the regular season with one win and two losses in their last three games. Their win came on Sunday, March 23rd, where they defeated the Firebirds 9-2. Calem Mangone scored five goals and picked up two assists in their final weekend while Michael Misa got two goals and five assists.

The Otters ended the regular season with a 34-28-4-2 record, good for fifth in the West. Erie finished out the regular season with a win and two losses in the final weekend of the season. Their win came on March 23rd where they beat the London Knights 6-4 on home ice. Martin Misiak and Dylan Edwards each had a goal and three assists throughout the final three games.

Head-to-head 2024-2025:

Saginaw and Erie faced off four times in the regular season, splitting the series with each team winning two games split between home and the road. The Spirit and the Otters both scored 20 goals in the series throughout the four games. Saginaw's Nic Sima scored three goals against Erie this season, and Michael Misa had four goals and four assists through four games. Otters captain Carey Terrance had a four-goal performance in the second matchup for Erie and totaled six goals in the series.

Players to Watch:

Michael Misa finished the season as top point scorer in the Canadian Hockey League with 134 points (62G-72A) in 65 games. Misa rewrote the franchise record book in 2024-25 and had three separate scoring streaks of 14 games or longer. Zayne Parekh became the first OHL defenseman to reach 100 points since the 2010-11 season. Parekh finished the season on a 14-game point streak where he picked up seven goals and 25 assists. Calem Mangone is coming off his fourth hat-trick of the year in the regular season finale. Mangone put up all new career highs with 33 goals, 50 assists and 83 points in his overage season. The Spirit will be without Nic Sima, who serves the first of a two-game suspension on Thursday night.

Pano Fimis led the Otters in points this season with 86 (32G-54A). Fimis closed out the season recording a point in 11 out of the last 12 games. Malcolm Spence had a solid draft-eligible campaign. In 65 games, Spence recorded 32 goals and 41 assists. Sam Alfano scored the most goals for Erie this season with 41. Alfano scored four goals across the final six games of the season. The Otters have been without defenseman and top NHL Draft prospect Matthew Schaefer since he sustained an injure at the World Junior Championships. Captain Carey Terrance has missed the last 17 games with an injury as well.

Saginaw's NHL Drafted Players:

Zayne Parekh (CGY)

Igor Chernyshov (SJ)

Erie's NHL Drafted Players:

Carey Terrance (ANA)

Martin Misiak (CHI)

Ty Henry (CHI)

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 27, 2025


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