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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Preview: Spirit, Sting Play Monday Matinee in Sarnia

February 18, 2019 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Progressive Auto Sales Arena, home of the Sarnia Sting
Progressive Auto Sales Arena, home of the Sarnia Sting
(Saginaw Spirit)

Sarnia, ON - The Saginaw Spirit get set for a five-game road swing beginning today at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena as they face the Sarnia Sting.

Monday marks the fifth of a six-game regular-season series between the Spirit and third-place Ontario Hockey League West Division Sting.

Opening faceoff is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. (EST) on Family Day in Canada.

There's still a three-point difference between West Division leader Sault Ste. Greyhounds and Saginaw, who clinched a playoff berth Friday for the 13th time dating back to 2005-06, with 13 games left on the schedule.

The Spirit have won the last two games against Sarnia this season at home on November 29 and December 15.

Broadcast, Watch Party & Ticket Info

Listen live on the Newsradio 790 AM WSGW and wsgw.com with Joey Battaino and Dennis Desrosiers. Pre-game coverage starts at 1:50 p.m. (EST).

Fans can visit the Buffalo Wild Wings location at 2690 Tittabawassee Road in Saginaw and join the official "Watch Party" for all Spirit away games. Admission is free of charge.

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.

Last Time Out

The Spirit's six-game winning streak was snapped Saturday in a 5-1 loss to the Oshawa Generals at The Dow Event Center.

It's the first time in 14 games that Saginaw has dropped a game at home dating back to December 1.

With a record of 22-6-1-1 when possessing home-ice advantage this season, the Spirit maintain the third-best home winning percentage in the OHL.

Captain Damien Giroux extended his points streak to five games with an assist off Justin Murray's second period goal. The overage defenseman would receive third-star honors.

Spirit Standouts

Giroux holds the highest plus-minus rating among all Saginaw players this season at +24. The Minnesota Wild prospect finished with a plus-minus rating of +4 and three points on Wednesday against the Flint Firebirds.

Murray is not far behind of Giroux with a plus-minus rating of +22 in 26 games with the Spirit. The first-line defenseman has five goals and 10 assists for 15 points since the trade acquisition back on December 9.

D.J. Busdeker's first-of-two goals in a 6-1 win Friday against the Owen Sound Attack came in the sixth minute in the first period. The alternate captain would follow that up with a wrist shot in the slot for Saginaw's final score with 7:46 remaining in the third. In the last 29 days, the native of Dexter, Michigan, has gone without a point in only four games.

Cole Perfetti, the 2018 OHL Priority Selection first-round (5th overall) pick, had his eight-game point streak snapped on Saturday after collecting at least one point in 13 of the previous 14 games.

Team points leader Cole Coskey needs one more assist to tie former Spirit standout Tyler Murovich for 83 in his career. The veteran winger took sole possession of 10th all-time in franchise history in points (155) with his fifth in five games on Saturday.

Six of the nine goals recorded by 2017 Florida Panthers first-rounder Owen Tippett in his short time with Saginaw came in the three games prior to Oshawa. Tippett is currently one-of-five Spirit players to pass the 50-points mark through the halfway point of February.

Coming over before the trade deadline from Mississauga with Tippett, 2018 Edmonton Oilers second-round (40th overall) pick Ryan McLeod's assist total stands at 11 with the Spirit. The 19-year-old is second on the team in that category at 37.

2018 New York Islanders second-round (41st overall) pick Bode Wilde recorded a plus-minus rating of +4 and one assist in the win over Owen Sound. The Plymouth, Michigan, native is third among OHL defensemen in assists this season at 43.

Tristan Lennox won't turn 17 until October, but in his first season in net after being drafted in the second round in 2018, Lennox has the lowest goals-against average (GAA) among league first-year goaltenders at 2.50. His record stands at 6-1-1-1 through 12 appearances.

Detroit Red Wings prospect Brady Gilmour accounted for two assists on Saturday for his first multi-point outing of the season since December 1. Gilmour is one goal shy of passing Patrick McNeill (53) on the franchise's top-20 list.

On special teams, the Spirit have the league's seventh-best power play unit on 46 goals for a 24.3 percent success rate this season. The penalty kill is ranked fourth overall with 35 goals allowed for an 81.5 percent success rate.

Sarnia Scouting Report

At 23 wins, 27 losses, five overtime losses and two shootout losses, the seventh-place OHL Western Conference Sting are a four-point window away from being out of the playoff picture through 57 games.

Back-to-back losses this past weekend to rival Windsor Spitfires en route to a four-game losing streak has Sarnia within one point of dropping to eighth place.

Today will be the start of another back-to-back for the Sting, who visit Sault Ste. Marie tomorrow, before returning home for a two-game set.

2017 OHL Import Draft first-rounder Hugo Leufvenius leads the team in goals (31) and points (63) this season. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Ryan McGregor maintains a club-high 40 assists.

Cameron Lamour, the former Spirit draft pick in 2016, has compiled a goals-against average (GAA) of 4.62 with a 0.864 save percentage (SAV%) in 15 games with the Sting since being traded last December.

On special teams, Sarnia is ranked 11th in the OHL on the penalty kill this season with 48 goals allowed for a 78.9 percent success rate. The Sting have the 14th-best man-up unit with 46 goals scored for a 19.4 percent success rate.

Featured NHL Prospects

There will be a combined 10 players on the ice Monday with their rights owned by NHL teams. For the Sting, it'll be McGregor (Toronto) and Mitch Eliot (Vancouver FA).

Defenseman Reilly Webb (Detroit), forward Blade Jenkins (NY Islanders), goaltender Ivan Prosvetov (Arizona), Gilmour (Detroit), McLeod (Edmonton), Tippett (Florida), Giroux (Minnesota) and Wilde (NY Islanders) will represent Saginaw.

Looking Ahead

The Spirit continue their two-week long road trip Thursday when they visit the Barrie Colts at 7:30 p.m. (EST).

It'll be the final of a two-game regular-season series between Saginaw and the ninth-place OHL Eastern Conference Colts and first at the Barrie Molson Centre.

Former 2017 Priority Selection first overall pick Ryan Suzuki leads the team in assists (38) and points (56) while sitting second in goals (18).

St. Louis Blues prospect Tyler Tucker is just under double-digit goals (8) this season but is second among Colts players in both assists (34) and points (42).

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics




Images from this story

Progressive Auto Sales Arena, home of the Sarnia Sting
Progressive Auto Sales Arena, home of the Sarnia Sting
   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 18, 2019


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