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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Preview: Spirit Host IceDogs, UAW Workers on Sunday Evening

September 29, 2019 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw, MI - The Saginaw Spirit (1-2-1-0 3pts.) look to get on track on home ice Sunday, September 29 against the Niagara IceDogs (2-0-1-1 6pts.) at The Dow Event Center.  Puck drop for the first of two meetings of the season between the Spirit and IceDogs begins at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets for children 12 years of age or younger will be $6 presented by Covenant HealthCare.  Sunday will be the first postgame skate of the season, where fans are encouraged to stay following the game and skate with the Saginaw Spirit.  Prior to puck drop, Major Chords for Minors will be preforming in the Budweiser Red Room.

Fans can catch all the action on the flagship WSGW Newsradio 100.5 FM and www.fmtalk1005.com with Art Lewis and the voice of Saginaw Spirit hockey Joey Battaino on the call.  "Countdown to Face-off" begins 15 minutes prior to puck drop.

To purchase tickets to any Saginaw Spirit home game call (989) 497-7747, visit www.saginawspirit.com, or visit the Saginaw Spirit Store at 5789 State Street, Saginaw MI.

We are proud to welcome all United Auto Workers to this evening's game at The Dow. UAW members, family, and friends can get up to eight tickets for today's game by showing your UAW Identification card at the Saginaw Spirit Store on State St. or the Will Call table at The Dow Event Center.

The Spirit are playing their third game in as many days Sunday evening, looking for their second win of the weekend.  Last season, the Saginaw Spirit dropped both contests against Niagara by a combined two goals, which included a 3-2 shootout loss at The Dow.

Saginaw is looking to rebound after a 6-4 loss to West Division rival, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Friday evening.

Leading Saginaw Spirit scorers, Ilya Solovyov and Cole Coskey each extended their point-streak to four games in the defeat.

Solovyov, a 2019 CHL Import Draft selection of the Saginaw Spirit, is tied for first in the OHL with ten points through four games this season.  The Belarusian defenseman has sole-possession of first in the OHL with nine assists this year.  In the past two games, Solovyov has contributed one goal and six assists for seven points.

Zion, Illinois native Coskey provided two helpers in the loss to the Soo Greyhounds.  The New York Islanders draft pick was held goal-less for the first time this season.

Saginaw Spirit captain Damien Giroux tallied two goals for the second game in a row on Saturday.  The Minnesota Wild prospect leads all Spirit players with four goals this season, all of which have come on the power play.

Both of Giroux's markers Saturday came on the Saginaw's fourth-ranked power play unit.  The Spirit come into Sunday's game scoring at a 35.3% clip on the man-power advantage.

Sunday's contest features the two-best shorthanded units in the OHL.  Saginaw's 92.9 penalty kill rate is first in the OHL, allowing just one powerplay goal this season.  Niagara has killed 90.0 of the man-power disadvantages this season, good for second in the league.

Saginaw, Michigan native Mitchell Smith leads the Saginaw Spirit this season with a plus/minus rating of plus-two.  The rookie defenseman collected his first OHL goal in Friday's game against the Sarnia Sting.

Smith and the rest of the Spirit defense-core will need to slow down 2019 Nashville Predators first-round pick Philip Tomasino.  The Niagara right-winger has scored multiple points in three of the four games he's played this season.  The Mississauga, Ontario native is riding a four-game point streak to start the season.

The Spirit will have to contend with Los Angeles Kings prospect Akil Thomas in Sunday's contest.  The Brandon, Florida native notched 38 goals and 64 assists for 102 points last season for the IceDogs.

Five NHL prospects were returned to the Saginaw Spirit prior to the start of the regular season. Blade Jenkins (New York Islanders), Cole Coskey (New York Islanders), Nicholas Porco (Dallas Stars), Mason Millman (Philadelphia Flyers), and Damien Giroux (Minnesota Wild) have all been returned to the Spirit. Bode Wilde remains with the New York Islanders, while Ivan Prosvetov has been recalled by the Arizona Coyotes after a short stint in the AHL

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from September 29, 2019


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