Generals Downed by Spirit in OT
February 24, 2019 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Oshawa Generals News Release
The Generals capped off their weekend at home tonight with a matchup against the Saginaw Spirit. Heading into the contest off Friday's big win at home over the Steelheads, the Gens held an eight-game winning streak and a season record of 38-18-3-0. Aiming to keep the victories rolling and extend their winning streak to nine games in a row, the Gens looked for a two-point performance tonight at home against the western conference foes.
1st Period:
The Gens got off to a rocky start with the Spirit owning the play early and capitalizing on a shot that went off the post and in, giving Saginaw an early 1-0 lead. Shortly after the goal, the Spirit were called for a hooking penalty to give Oshawa the first powerplay opportunity of the game. While the Gens had several quality scoring chances, they couldn't find the back of the net with the man advantage. Closing in on the halfway mark of the period, Gens goaltender Kyle Keyser made a flurry of big saves to keep Oshawa within one. Just minutes later, the Spirit were sprung on a breakaway that Keyser was once again able to save. However, moments after the breakaway, Saginaw managed to put a shot past the Gens and increase their lead to two. After the goal, the Gens were given another chance on the powerplay with the Spirit taking a cross-checking penalty. Toward the end of the first infraction, the Spirit took another penalty but the Gens powerplay went unsuccessful on both attempts. With just over three minutes left in period, both teams took minor penalties to put the play at 4-on-4 but neither could find the back of the net with the extra skating room. While Allan McShane had a dangerous scoring chance off a shot from the slot in the final minutes of the first, Spirit goaltender Ivan Prosvetov made a huge save to send Oshawa into the intermission trailing 2-0.
2nd Period:
Starting the period off by killing a penalty taken near the end of the first, the Gens were able to hold off the Spirit powerplay and remain within two on the scoreboard. Building off the successful penalty kill, the Gens offense potted their first goal of the game with a perfect top corner shot from Cole Resnick to put Oshawa on the board. Gaining momentum from the tally, the Gens came close to tying the game with Brett Neumann ripping a shot off the post. Oshawa continued their strong play throughout the opening half of the period and controlled the play with lots of offensive zone time. However, just past the period's halfway point the Spirit were able to up their lead to two with a hard one-timer from the left wing that found the back of the net. With under five minutes left in the period, Anthony Salinitri received a pass that gave him a partial breakaway opportunity that he put just wide with a close shot. Minutes later, the Spirit offense struck again with a top corner wrist shot, putting them up 4-1 over the Gens. With only thirty seconds left in the period, Oshawa was called for a four-minute penalty for high-sticking, sending them into the game's final frame down a man.
3rd Period:
Beginning the period on the extended penalty kill, the Gens were able to kill off the four-minute infraction with strong defensive play and some big stops from Keyser. Around five minutes into the third, Spirit forward Cole Perfetti had a breakaway opportunity where he attempted a between-the-legs shot that was denied with a big save from Keyser. Minutes later, the Gens nearly got their second goal of the game after a shot from Danil Antropov bounced up and over Saginaw's goaltender but hit the post and stayed out of the net. Just over halfway through the period, rough play ensued after a whistle that resulted in Saginaw getting an extra two-minute penalty call to put the Gens on a powerplay. Making no mistake on the opportunity, Anthony Salinitri took a rocket wrist shot that beat Prosvetov over the shoulder and into the top corner, putting the score at 4-2. With just under four minutes left to play in the game, Salinitri forced the Spirit to take an interference call to put the Gens back on the man advantage. While they weren't able to score on the powerplay, McShane buried a goal at 6-on-5 with the Generals net empty to put Oshawa within one. With their net still empty, the Gens poured on the pressure in the dying seconds of the period with McShane coming up with a heroic goal for his second of the night to tie the game with just twelve seconds left. Tied 4-4, the game headed into overtime.
Overtime:
With the Spirit controlling the play to begin overtime, they were able to come up with the winning goal when Cole Perfetti was sprung on a breakaway that he potted, ending the game in a 5-4 overtime loss for the Gens.
With an amazing comeback effort that just fell short to end Oshawa's winning streak, the team will head up north next weekend looking to get back in the win column when they take on the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds on Friday and the Sudbury Wolves on Saturday.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2019
- Generals Downed by Spirit in OT - Oshawa Generals
- Perfetti Stuns Oshawa with Overtime Game-Winner - Saginaw Spirit
- Knights Blow out Battalion - London Knights
- Bulldogs Lose 6-2 to Sudbury - Brantford Bulldogs
- Brazeau Sets Mark in Loss - North Bay Battalion
- Soo Holds off Sting - Sarnia Sting
- Trout Fall to the Rangers in First Game of Back-To-Back - Brampton Steelheads
- IceDogs Attack Owen Sound with 9-0 Win - Niagara IceDogs
- Attack Blanked by High Scoring IceDogs, 9-0 - Owen Sound Attack
- Rangers Defeat the Steelheads 5-2 - Kitchener Rangers
- Game Preview: Gens Cap off the Weekend Tonight at Home against Spirit at 6:05pm - Oshawa Generals
- Preview: Spirit Wrap up Road Swing with Test in Oshawa - Saginaw Spirit
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