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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Preview: Spirit Finish Northern Swing in Owen Sound

November 25, 2018 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Owen Sound, Ontario - The Saginaw Spirit wrap up their Northern Ontario swing Sunday as they face the Owen Sound Attack in the final of a three-game road trip. Puck drop is set for 2:00 p.m. (EST) at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.

Sunday will mark the first-of-two regular-season meetings between Saginaw and the OHL Western Conference contender. The Spirit split the season series last year by taking a 5-3 decision at home on November 18, 2017.

Through 24 games this season, the Attack are fourth in the Western Conference standings at 29 points. With 13 wins, eight losses, one overtime loss and two shootout losses, Owen Sound sits four points behind second place Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

The Attack allowed five goals in the final 20 minutes this past Friday in a 7-2 loss on the road to the London Knights. Former 2014 OHL Priority Selection fifth rounder Kevin Hancock would cut the deficit to two at 8:14 in the third period, the closest they came to garnering a comeback.

Owen Sound saw its three-game winning streak come to an end on November 15 in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Peterborough Petes, later taking a decisive three-goal win at home against the Flint Firebirds to finish at 5-3-1-1 over the last 10 games.

Saginaw is looking for its fifth point during this road trip after sweeping the season series over the North Bay Battalion on Thanksgiving Day in a 4-3 overtime thriller. Ending a two-game losing streak, the Spirit saw 2018 New York Islanders second-round draft pick Bode Wilde go coast-to-coast 49 seconds into extra-time for the game-winner.

Wilde, who returned from injury on November 9, recorded his first multi-goal outing this season after getting the Spirit on the board with 3:30 in the first period at the North Bay Memorial Gardens.

The Plymouth, Michigan, native has notched five goals and 15 assists for 20 points through 18 games this season. Wilde is tied for third among all Saginaw players alongside fellow Islanders prospect Blade Jenkins in points behind veteran forward Cole Coskey (24) and overager Albert Michnac (23).

After producing his first multi-assist outing in over a month Thursday, Coskey and 17-year-old defenseman Mason Millman were credited with the assist on 2018 Priority Selection fifth overall pick Cole Perfetti's go-ahead goal with 5:35 into the third period Friday against the Sudbury Wolves.

Perfetti, who has three points since returning to the bench after taking part in the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge two weeks ago, had the Spirit leading 2-1 before Sudbury's Quinton Byfield scored both the game-tying goal with 1:08 remaining in regulation and the lone shootout goal in the fourth round.

The 3-2 final was the third game this season decided by a shootout for Saginaw. Rookie goaltender Tristan Lennox earned his first career OHL start at the Sudbury Community Arena, finishing with 24 saves and making three consecutive stops in the shootout.

Millman has enjoyed a five-game stretch in which he's recorded five assists for 10 total on the season. Sudbury native and 2018 Minnesota Wild fifth-round draft pick Damien Giroux also surpassed double-digit goals at 3:59 in the first period to tie with second-year forward Nicholas Porco and Perfetti for a team-high 10 goals.

Coskey's assist would surpass him over Michnac for most points through 24 games on nine goals and 15 assists. The Spirit remain in second place in the West Division and fifth place in the Western Conference standings at 27 points.

Jenkins has recorded at least one point in four of the last five games, scoring twice on November 14 in the 4-2 win over the Firebirds, and assisting on two goals during this current road trip. 2018 Arizona Coyotes prospect Ivan Prosvetov would stop 28 shots in the North Bay win. The Russian-born goaltender has a goals against average (GAA) of 3.49 and a .879 save percentage (SAV%).

Sunday will also be the third game for the Spirit under recently promoted head coach Chris Lazary, who took over the position following the dismissal of Troy Smith last Sunday. Lazary held the reigns on an interim basis while Smith served as an assistant coach for Team Canada Black at the U-17 Hockey Challenge.

On special teams, Saginaw killed both penalties against Sudbury in the second period en route to having the OHL's seventh best man-down unit, allowing just 14 goals for a 81.6 percent success rate. The power play for the Spirit is 10th in the league, scoring 17 goals on 80 opportunities.

For the Attack, Hancock ranks in the top-five among all OHL players in almost every major offensive category, including second behind only North Bay's Justin Brazeau in points (44), first in game-winning goals (5), first in insurance goals (5), fourth in goals (21) and fifth in assists (23).

The Mississauga, Ontario native has finished with at least three points in eight games this season, recently completing the hat trick for four total points against Flint. Drafted by the Vegas Golden Knights with the 13th overall pick in 2018, forward Nick Suzuki is second on the team with 36 points on 17 goals and 19 assists for a plus-minus rating of +12.

2018 Los Angeles Kings fourth rounder Aidan Dudas and 2017 Philadelphia Flyers fourth rounder Maksim Sushko have combined for 17 goals and 29 assists for 49 points. Hancock and Suzuki also have attempted over 100 shots on goal this season.

On special teams, Owen Sound is eighth overall on the power play, scoring 19 goals for a 22.1 percent success rate. The Attack are also sixth in penalty killing, allowing 15 goals on 83 total man-down situations.

There will be a combined 12 players on the ice Sunday with their rights owned by NHL teams. For the Attack, it'll be defensemen Markus Phillips (Los Angeles), Trenton Bourque (St. Louis) and Sean Durzi (Toronto), Suzuki (Vegas), Dudas (Los Angeles) and Sushko (Philadelphia).

Defenseman Reilly Webb (Detroit), forward Brady Gilmour (Detroit), Wilde (NY Islanders), Jenkins (NY Islanders), Giroux (Minnesota) and Prosvetov (Arizona) will represent Saginaw.

Saginaw return home next Thursday, November 29, to host West Division rival Sarnia Sting at The Dow Event Center with a 7:05 p.m. puck drop. Presented by Reder Landscaping, tickets for students and military members are discounted at $5.

To purchase your tickets for all Saginaw home games, call (989) 497-7747, visit saginawspirit.com, or by visiting the Saginaw Spirit Store at 5789 State Street, Saginaw, MI.

For tickets and more information:

Reserve your seat at The Dow Event Center by calling (989) 497-7747 or visit www.saginawspirit.com for more information. YOUR Region. YOUR team. YOU'RE invited.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 25, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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