Game Preview: Saginaw Spirit at Sarnia Sting
Published on March 15, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release
Sarnia, Ont. - The Saginaw Spirit (24-33-3-4), who are still in the hunt to finish as high as sixth in the conference, head on the road to end the weekend against the Sarnia Sting (18-37-8-1) at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena.
Today's Game:
Puck drop is at 2:05 pm.
Broadcast:
Radio: 100.5 FM WSGW, WSGW.com
TV: FloHockey
Last Game:
The Spirit fell 5-1 last night against the Flint Firebirds in their final meeting of the regular season. Despite outshooting the Firebirds 25-20, the Spirit's only goal came from Dima Zhilkin on the power play.
The Sting were eliminated from the playoffs on Friday night with a 6-3 loss to the Western Conference leading Windsor Spitfires. Jack Van Volsen had a two-point night with a goal and an assist. Mitch Young and Kaden Aucoin provided the other Sting goals.
This Season:
This marks the fifth of six matchups between the Sting and the Spirit this season. The season series is even at 2-2, with the Sting taking the last win 7-4 in Saginaw on February 21st. The last time the Spirit played at the Progressive Insurance Auto Arena, they took an 11-3 victory over the Sting on February 13th. Dima Zhilkin and Brody Pepopy each had a hat trick, while Egor Barabanov had a six-point night (1G-5A).
Players to Watch:
Nikita Klepov is still on record watch. The Spirit rookie is one goal away from tying Cole Perfetti's rookie Spirit goal record of 37, set in 2019. Klepov sits in second place in the OHL point scoring race with 89 points (36G-53A). His assist last night on Zhilkin's goal gives him points in each of his last two games. Klepov has four goals and six assists against the Sting this season in four games.
The captain, Dima Zhilkin, has also scored in the last two games for the Spirit. Zhilkin led the way in the loss to the Firebirds with his lone goal and a team-leading seven shots on goal. His 34th goal of the season propelled him to the top-10 of OHL goal scorers, tied at 10th place despite missing nine games this season.
Saginaw's NHL Drafted Players: Jacob Cloutier (WPG)
Beckham Edwards secured his second straight game with a point, with an assist in Friday's loss to Windsor. Edwards currently sits at 39 points (18G-21A) on the season, just six points from tying his rookie season marks (45P in 62GP). His assist did mark a new single-season career high for him, after posting 20 assists in his rookie season.
Matthew Manza had a career-high five-point night last time he saw the Spirit, with a hat trick and two assists. Manza, in his second OHL season, has 29 points (13G-16A) in 63 games.
Easton Walos sits tied with Manza as the most productive Sting player in the season series, with 2G-4A-6P in four games. Walos had two goals in Sarnia's March 7th visit to Owen Sound and three points (1G-2A) in Saginaw on February 21st. He sits sixth in OHL rookie scoring this season with 46 points (24G-22A) in 64 games.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 15, 2026
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- Game Preview: Saginaw Spirit at Sarnia Sting - Saginaw Spirit
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