Game Preview: Saginaw Spirit (8) at Kitchener Rangers (1) - Game 2
OHL Saginaw Spirit

Game Preview: Saginaw Spirit (8) at Kitchener Rangers (1) - Game 2

Published on March 29, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Kitchener, Ont. - The Saginaw Spirit (0-1) prepare for Game 2 against the Kitchener Rangers (1-0) on Sunday night, looking to bounce back after falling in a back-and-forth Game 1.

Tonight's Game:

Puck drop is at 7:00 pm.

Broadcast:

Radio: 100.5 FM WSGW, WSGW.com

TV: FloHockey

Series so Far (KIT leads 1-0):

The Rangers got ahead early in Game 1, with a power play goal from Sam O'Reilly at the halfway point of the frame. The Spirit found a response in the first minute of the second period, thanks to Egor Barabanov. Saginaw applied offensive pressure throughout the period, and captain Dima Zhilkin sent the puck into the back of the net, giving the Spirit the lead later in the period. The final two minutes created a flurry from either side. O'Reilly scored his second of the night in the final two minutes of the period; however, Levi Harper scored on a one-timer exactly a minute later to reclaim the Spirit lead heading into the final period.

The third period was controlled by the Rangers, scoring four goals in the final 20 minutes. Christian Humphreys scored his third point of the night after assists on both O'Reilly goals to tie the game up. Zhilkin scored his second of the night, but three unanswered goals from the Rangers gave them the 6-4 victory in Game 1.

Players to Watch:

The Spirit captain, Dima Zhilkin, had an outstanding Game 1 against the Rangers with two goals, one assist, and a plus-three rating. Zhilkin had a total of nine points (3G-5A) in eight games in March to finish a career-high regular season. Zhilkin's goals on Friday night marked his first OHL playoff goals, after securing three assists in last season's playoff matchup against Erie.

Levi Harper enjoyed his first taste of the OHL playoffs with a two-point night, scoring a goal at the end of the second period and assisting Dima Zhilkin's first-period goal. Harper ended his rookie season as the leading OHL rookie blueliner with 57 points (12G-45A) and third best amongst all OHL rookies. Harper had a quieter March, but has had a lot of success against the Rangers with a point in all four games against Kitchener in the regular season (1G-3A-4P).

Saginaw's NHL-Drafted Players: Jacob Cloutier (WPG)

Christian Humphreys led the way for the Rangers on Friday, earning first star of the night honors for a four-point game (2G-2A). Humphreys assisted both O'Reilly goals and scored the two Kitchener game-tying goals in the third period. Friday's game marked Humphreys' first multi-goal OHL playoff game.

Jack Pridham was a huge catalyst for the Rangers in Game 1 with three assists on the night. Pridham had seven shots on goal as a persistent threat to the Spirit. In the regular season, Pridham secured a career-high 90 points (46G-44A). The Rangers' leading regular-season scorer was one of five players to hit the 90-point mark in the regular season (joining Saginaw's Nikita Klepov and Egor Barabanov). Including Friday's assists, Pridham has 16 points (7G-9A) over 18 OHL playoff games.

Kitchener's NHL Drafted Players: Luke Ellinas (OTT), Gabriel Chiarot (VAN), Sam O'Reilly (TBL), Jack Pridham (CHI), Christian Humphreys (COL), Matthew Hlacar (TOR), Luca Romano (NYI), Cameron Reid (NSH), Andrew MacNeil (MTL), Christian Kirsch (SJ), Matthew Andonovski (OTT), Jared Woolley (LAK)

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 29, 2026


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