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OHL Guelph Storm

Game Preview: Storm Host Spirit on Friday

December 10, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Guelph Storm News Release


Starting with the first of two games at home this weekend, the Guelph Storm host the Saginaw Spirit on Friday for a 7:30pm puck drop.

Steph Coratti, GuelphStorm.com ---

Fans who purchase a regular ticket to Friday's game have the chance to add a ticket to Sunday's contest versus the Sudbury Wolves for just $11! Call (519) 837-9690 for more information, or get your tickets HERE.

Friday's game also features Emma's Toy Drive. For more information, click HERE.

Friday night at the Sleeman Centre will be a match-up of teams familiar to streaks this season.

The Guelph Storm, looking to end a 12-game skid, host the Saginaw Spirit, who have compiled a 3-7-0-0 record in their last 10 games played.

The bad news stands in the Spirit taking those three victories in their last three contests, snapping an eight-game losing streak on Nov. 28 with a 5-3 win over the Windsor Spitfires.

Prior to Friday's game, scheduled to begin at 7:30pm, the Spirit visit the Niagara IceDogs on Thursday.

The Storm, who last played on Tuesday falling 5-2 to the Kitchener Rangers, are off on the game front until Friday's meeting.

Player Watch

Guelph Storm

The last time Guelph and Saginaw met back on Oct. 3, captain C.J. Garcia was one of two players on the Storm to register two points (both assists) in the 8-5 loss. On the season, the Pickering, Ontario native has 10 points (two goals, eight assists), putting him second in production on the Storm blue line, second to only that of Garrett McFadden. In the last three games played, the six-foot, 184-pound defenseman has posted two assists.

Givani Smith, who registered an assist in the last match-up between the Storm and the Spirit, potted a goal in Guelph's last contest - a 5-2 loss to the Kitchener Rangers this past Tuesday. In the last three games played, the six-foot-one, 197-pound forward has registered three goals for four points. Looking at the 2015-16 campaign as a whole, the Toronto, Ontario native has recorded seven goals for 15 points through 26 games - putting Smith only four points removed from matching his rookie point total set in 61 games last season. With his most recent goal against the Rangers, Smith already matched his rookie goal total of seven.

Tyler Boston was one of the goal scorers in Guelph's 8-5 loss to Saginaw back on Oct. 3, registering just one shot to find the back of the net. Now 28 games into the season, the Newmarket, Ontario native leads the Storm with 16 points (six goals, 10 assists). In the last three games played, the five-foot-eleven, 160-pound forward has two assists (both recorded against the Hamilton Bulldogs on Dec. 4), however, has been one of the steadiest forwards defensively as of late. Specifically against the Kitchener Rangers on Tuesday, Boston came up with a few big shot blocks on the penalty kill, and maintained a consistent defensive effort right up until the end of the contest.

Saginaw Spirit

Leading the way for the Spirit is second-year forward Artem Artemov, compiling 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 27 games this campaign. Additionally, the six-foot, 205-pound winger is a plus-three - only one of the five players on the Spirit to hold a plus rating so far this season, while also tied for the highest on the roster. In the last two games played, Artemov has registered one goal and three assists.

Four-year veteran Dylan Sadowy is just one point removed of Artemov for the Spirit's point leader, totaling for 22 points (12 goals, 10 assists) in 24 games. A third round selection (81st overall) of the San Jose Sharks in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Sadowy does lead Saginaw is goals scored, pocketing 14% of the Spirit's goals this season.

Overager and former Ottawa 67 Connor Brown rounds out the top three for the Spirit, tallying for 20 points (11 goals, nine assists) in 28 games this campaign - already at exactly half of his point total of 40 registered last season in 68 games. After going pointless in a season-high four game stretch, the six-foot, 200-pound forward is currently on a four-game point streak (three goals, two assists) heading into the Spirit's match-up with Niagara on Thursday, followed up with the contest versus the Storm on Friday.

The Opponent: Saginaw Spirit (11-15-1-1, 24 points)

NOTE: The Spirit play in Niagara on Dec. 10, facing off against the IceDogs prior to Friday's game against the Storm on Friday.

The Saginaw Spirit, similar to that of the Storm, find themselves in the basement of their division, sitting three points back of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the West.

Looking at the 2015-16 campaign so far, the Spirit have posted a .429 win percentage through 28 games with team statistics of 85 goals for and 112 goals against. Only two teams in the Western Conference have fewer goals for than the Spirit, as the Owen Sound Attack currently sit with 64 on the season, and the Storm have 50. In the goals against department, only one team in the conference has allowed more - that being the Storm with 130 goals against through 28 games.

More recently, though, Saginaw has strung together a three-game win streak following an eight-game skid from Nov. 8 to Nov. 27.

Snapping the streak, the Spirit downed the Windsor Spitfires 5-3 on Nov. 28 after falling to the Spitfires in a 5-1 result the night before.

Following the win, the Spirit then dropped the Flint Firebirds in a 4-3 shootout victory, and lastly, for their third straight win, took a 5-2 final over the North Bay Battalion on Dec. 5.

The Spirit have one more game to play prior to Friday's meeting with the Storm, facing off against the IceDogs in Niagara on Thursday night.

GAME NOTES

Friday's game is the second of four meetings between the Storm and the Spirit this season.

The Spirit lead the season series 1-0, taking an 8-5 victory on home ice back on Oct. 3.

With a goal against the Kitchener Rangers this past Tuesday, Givani Smith has matched his rookie goal total of seven set in 61 games last season.

Before Friday's match-up, Saginaw visits the Niagara IceDogs on Thursday.

Friday's game features Emma's Toy Drive. For more information, click HERE.

With two games at home this weekend, Storm fans can capitalize on the Weekend Pass deal! Buy a regular ticket to Friday's game against the Saginaw Spirit, and add a ticket Sunday's game for just $11! Call (519) 837-9690 for more information.

Check out the Guelph Storm Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 10, 2015


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