OHL Saginaw Spirit

Preview: Spirit Travel to Sarnia Friday Night

September 27, 2019 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw Spirit vs. the Sarnia Sting
Saginaw Spirit vs. the Sarnia Sting
(Saginaw Spirit)

Sarnia, ON- The Saginaw Spirit head to Ontario to face the Sarnia Sting Friday evening. The puck drop is at 7:05 p.m at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena.

Fans can tune into the action live on 100.5 Newsradio WSGW, www.wsgw.com, and iHeartRadio beginning at 6:50 p.m. with the voice of the Spirit, Joey Battaino.

Fans can also 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.

Following tonight's game in Sarnia, the Spirit will return home for two games this weekend on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday evening, the Spirit host the Soo Greyhounds for the first time this season on Opioid Awareness Night. The Spirit have partnered with Holy Cross Services, McLaren Bay Region, Covenant HealthCare, MidMichigan Health, and Ascension St. Mary's Hospital to provide 22 resource tables in the Red Room opening at 5:30 p.m. Any fan who returns unused or expired medication will be given a free ticket voucher to the game that evening. The first 2,000 fans in attendance Saturday receive a 2019-20 regular season magnet schedule courtesy of Coors Light and Go Great Lakes Bay.

Sunday, the Spirit host the Niagara IceDogs for the first Covenant Kids Sunday of the season. Puck drop is a 5:30 p.m. Tickets for kids 12 and under are only $6. Major Chords for Minors will be performing in the Red Room prior to the game.

The Spirit opened their franchise's 18th season in Kitchener last Friday night. The Spirit's DJ King earned his first goal for the Spirit, which was also the first goal of the game. The Spirit earned themselves a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes thanks to goals from the aforementioned King, Blade Jenkins, Cole Coskey, and D.J. Busdeker. The Rangers battled back in the third to tie, and former Spirit Ryan Stepien scored the game-winning goal in overtime for Kitchener.

Last Saturday night, the Spirit faced off against their in-state rivals the Flint Firebirds. New York Islanders prospect Cole Coskey with the Spirit's first and only goal of the game. Powered by a hat trick performance from Jake Durham, the Firebirds roared past the Spirit, 4-1.

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.

The Spirit made a couple of roster moves on Wednesday, designating goaltender Nick Donofrio for assignment, and then trading for 19-year old goaltender Marshall Frappier from the Kingston Frontenacs. The Sudbury sixth round pick in 2017, has appeared in 42 games over two OHL seasons with Sudbury and Kingston.

Frappier was selected by Hockey Canada to compete in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge during the 2016-17 season. In three games with Team Canada White, Frappier posted a .900 save percentage.

The Sting acquired Joseph Mack prior to the regular season from the Erie Otters. Mack has earned the Sting one goal and an assist so far this season. The Sting also acquired Import draft picks Eric Hjorth and Marek Berka, rookies Justin O'Donnell, Ty Voit, Nolan Burke, Nolan Dillingham, Owen Saye, Ryan Mast, and goalie Benjamin Gaudreau.

The Sting sent six players to NHL training camps. Jamieson Rees (Carolina Hurricanes), Ryan McGregor (Columbus Blue Jackets), Brayden Guy (Columbus Blue Jackets), Sean Josling (Chicago Blackhawks), Sam Bitten (Minnesota Wild), and Eric Hjorth (Columbus Blue Jackets) have all been returned to the Sting for the 2019-20 season.

Tonight is the first matchup between the Spirit and the Sting since the first round of the 2019 Playoffs, when the Spirit dispelled the Sting in four straight games.

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.





Images from this story

Saginaw Spirit vs. the Sarnia Sting
Saginaw Spirit vs. the Sarnia Sting

  



Ontario Hockey League Stories from September 27, 2019


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