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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Parekh Notches First Career Hat Trick in 6-2 Win Over Flint

November 8, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw Spirit's Zayne Parekh on game night
Saginaw Spirit's Zayne Parekh on game night
(Saginaw Spirit)

Saginaw Mich. - The Saginaw Spirit (7-7-0-1) took control of the Coors Light I-75 Divide Cup over the Flint Firebirds (7-7-1-1) by a score of 6-2 on Wednesday night. Zayne Parekh's hat-trick performance led the way, aided by two-point nights from Michael Misa (0G, 2A), Matyas Sapovaliv (1G, 1A), and Calem Mangone (0G, 2A). Andrew Oke guarded the Saginaw net saving 27 of 29 in his fifth win of the year, while Flint's Nathan Day and Jacob Brown combined for 23 saves on 29 shots in the team's seventh loss of the year.

The first period opened with a Saginaw slashing penalty to Calem Mangone, 33 seconds in. On the Firebirds power-play, Gavin Hayes collected the puck near the Flint blue and looked up ice. Hayes found Simon Slavicek on a long stretch pass up the middle, who proceeded to turn into the Saginaw zone. A cross crease pass from Slavicek to Toronto prospect Braeden Kressler set up an easy tap-in for Kressler's eighth of the season and the 1-0 lead.

Saginaw would respond at 6:09 into the first period, after an offensive zone takeaway. As Flint looked to break up ice, Zayne Parekh poked a puck free that was picked up by Joey Willis. After dragging the puck around a defender, Willis fed a pass to the center, finding Parekh open in the slot. His slapshot rocketed past Firebirds goaltender Nathan Day, and into the net for his fourth goal of the year, tying the game at one.

The Spirit struck again four minutes later on a goal from Matyas Sapovaliv. Calem Mangone collected a puck in the Saginaw zone, and dashed up the bench side, flinging a shot on goal. Nathan Day's saving rebound right back to Mangone, who wrapped around the goal, looking for a teammate. His centering pass found Sapovaliv open on the top of the crease, who pounded home his sixth of the year into the goal. After Sapovaliv extended his point streak to eight games, Saginaw now led 2-1.

Only two minutes later, Michael Misa fed a diagonal pass to Aiden Young, waiting near the Flint blueline. Young was surrounded by the Firebirds defense, but slipped a pass behind him into the zone for a streaking Zayne Parekh. The Saginaw defender drifted near the side boards, then snapped a shot on goal that kissed the short side pipe and slipped past Day. Parekh's fourth goal of the year and second of the game extended the Spirit lead to two.

At 13:13 into the period, Saginaw's Josh Glavin and Flint's Grayden Strohack received offsetting roughing penalties, setting up two minutes of four-on-four play. On the four-on-four, Calem Mangone fed a pass cross crease to Matyas Sapovaliv standing open on the far post. His shot glanced off the side of the cage and back behind the net. After recollecting the puck, Sapovaliv wrapped around the net, and looking toward the middle of the ice. His pass found Braden Haché cutting to the net, whose shot blazed into the net past Firebirds goaltender Nathan Day. The Saginaw captain's third goal of the year put Saginaw up 4-1.

Saginaw would add one more goal before the end of the period, courtesy of their fourth line. The play began when Lincoln Moore received a pass near the left side boards. He laid the puck off to Sebastien Gervais who drifted down the left wing. Gervais slotted a puck backdoor hoping for a Saginaw tip. Liam Storch cut to the and blindly tipped the puck around the outstretched left leg of Nathan Day, securing his first goal of the season and putting the Spirit up 5-1 16:40 into the first period.

The first period ended with the Saginaw Spirit up 5-1 over the Flint Firebirds, with Saginaw doubling up Flint in shots 14 to 7.

To open the second period, the Flint Firebirds changed goalies to Jacob Brown replacing Nathan Day.

The Spirit continued their scoring ways 2:06 into the second period. Michael Misa and Aiden Young began by working the play back and forth until the puck ended up in the left corner. Misa flung a pass to the blue line, finding PJ Forgione. He would slap the pass across to Zayne Parekh, who skated into the puck and proceeded to weave his way through the defense and finish his shot top self. Parekh's hat trick goal and sixth of the year extended the Saginaw lead to five.

After a pair of fights between Saginaw's Josh Glavin and Flint's Nathan Aspinall (6:25), and Saginaw's Lincoln Moore and Flint's Tristan Bertucci, Saginaw would take four straight penalties.

The second period ended 6-1 in favor of the Spirit while continuing to outshoot the Firebirds 25 to 18. The third period would begin with a five-on-three opportunity for one second, and ensuing seconds of five-on-four hockey for the Flint Firebirds.

The final period began with even more penalties to Saginaw's Braden Haché and Flint's Blake Smith, with Saginaw's Calem Mangone picking up the extra minor for roughing to put the Firebirds on a power-play.

The Firebirds scored the next goal at 12:39 into the third. Gavin Hayes tapped a pass to Braeden Kressler who slashed into the offensive goal. After beating the Saginaw defender to the center, Kressler's forehand-backhand move opened a spot for a shot between the legs of Spirit goaltender Andrew Oke. His shot slipped over the line for his second of the game and ninth of the year, setting a 6-2 score line.

After the Spirit killed off four penalties in the third, the buzzer sounded giving the Spirit their third straight win, 6-2.

Saginaw's win brought them back to an even 7-7-0-1) and dropped the Flint Firebirds to an even 7-7-1-1 giving Saginaw the lead in this season's Coors Light I-75 Divide Cup, 2-1.

Saginaw's next game is on Saturday, November 11th, at 7:05 PM, at the Dow Event Center. The Spirit will be facing the Windsor Spitfires for the second time this season on Military Appreciation Night.

For more information, visit saginawspirit.com or follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

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Images from this story

Saginaw Spirit's Zayne Parekh on game night
Saginaw Spirit's Zayne Parekh on game night
   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 8, 2023


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