OHL Saginaw Spirit

Preview: Spirit Wrap up Road Swing Saturday in Owen Sound

November 30, 2019 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Owen Sound, ON. - The Saginaw Spirit (14-9-1-1, 30 pts.) finish a three-game road swing Saturday, November 30 when they take on the Midwest Division's Owen Sound Attack (10-10-3-1, 24 pts.) for the second and final time this season.  Puck drop from the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre in Owen Sound, Ontario is set for a 7:30 p.m.

Saginaw came out victorious in the first matchup this season against Owen Sound 5-4 at home.

Fans can catch all the action on the flagship WSGW Newsradio 100.5 FM and www.wsgw.com with Countdown to Faceoff with James Paxson beginning at 7:15 p.m.

Spirit 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.

The Spirit have split the first two games of the road swing with a 8-3 victory over arch-rival Flint Firebirds on Wednesday and a 6-2 loss to the Midwest Division leading Guelph Storm Friday evening.

Top 2020 NHL Draft prospect Cole Perfetti extended his point streak to four games with a goal in the first period of Friday's game against the Storm.  Since the first matchup versus the Owen Sound Attack back on November 21, Perfetti has six goals in just four games.  The Saginaw forward is eighth in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with 41 point in just 25 games this season.

Newly acquired Danil Antropov provided an assist in his Saginaw Spirit debut on Perfetti's goal in the first period against Guelph.  The North York, Ontario native Antropov was acquired via trade with the Oshawa Generals for two draft picks.  Antropov scored 15 goals and 37 assists for a career-high 52 points last season for the Generals.

Grand Blanc, Michigan native Dalton Duhart provided an assist in the game against the Storm.  The Saginaw center has points in five of the last seven games for the Spirit.  Duhart tallied the eventual game-winning goal in the victory over the Owen Sound Attack.

Rookie forward Ethan Cardwell has scored in three of the last four Saginaw Spirit games.  The Courtice, Ontario native scored Saginaw's second goal in the 6-2 defeat to the Storm Friday night.

Saturday's matchup features two of the top scoring defensemen in the OHL this season.  Saginaw's Ilya Solovyov is fifth among OHL defensemen with 26 points this season.  Solovyov has quarterbacked the Saginaw Spirit power play unit with 14 points on the man-power advantage this season, good for second among OHL defenseman in power play points.

Owen Sound's Brady Lyle is ninth among OHL defenseman this season with 24 points.  The overage defenseman contributed an assist in the loss to the Saginaw Spirit earlier this season.

The Owen Sound Attack are coming off a 3-0 shutout loss to the Kitchener Rangers on the road Friday night.

Knoxville, Tennessee native Mack Guzda stopped 26 of Kitchener's 28 shots in Friday's defeat.  Guzda took the loss after he allowed five goals in the first matchup against the Saginaw Spirit this season.

Owen Sound Attack leading scorer Aidan Dudas collected a goal and assist in the loss against the Spirit back on November 21.  The Los Angeles Kings prospect has 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points in 23 games.

Russian Sergey Popov also had a goal and assist in the first game against the Saginaw Spirit this season.  The left-winger leads the Owen Sound Attack this season with 20 assists in 24 games this season.

The Saginaw Spirit have a total of four players on their roster with NHL ties. Blade Jenkins (NY Islanders), Cole Coskey (NY Islanders), Mason Millman (Philadelphia Flyers), and Damien Giroux (Minnesota Wild).

Saginaw has two players listed in the 2020 NHL Central Scouting 'Players to Watch' list, including 'A' prospect Cole Perfetti. Rookie Ilya Solovyov is listed as a 'C' prospect.  Flint forward Evan Vierling was also listed as a 'C' prospect in the 2020 NHL Central Scouting 'Players to Watch list'.

Owen Sound defenseman Igor Chibrikov was also listed as a 'C' ranking in the 2020 NHL Central Scouting 'Players to Watch List'.

The Spirit return home Wednesday, December 4 when they matchup against the Guelph Storm in a make-up contest for the postponed game due to poor ice conditions back on November 2.  Puck drop from The Dow Event Center in Saginaw, Michigan begins at 7:05 p.m.

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.

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 30, 2019


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