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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Preview: Spirit Wrap up Road Swing with Test in Oshawa

February 24, 2019 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Tribute Communities Centre, home of the Oshawa Generals
Tribute Communities Centre, home of the Oshawa Generals
(Saginaw Spirit)

Oshawa, ON - The Saginaw Spirit get set for the fourth of a five-game road swing tonight at the Tribute Communities Centre as they face the Oshawa Generals.

Sunday marks the final of a two-game regular-season series between the Spirit and third-place Ontario Hockey League Eastern Conference Generals.

Opening faceoff is scheduled for 6:05 p.m. (EST).

There's a two-point difference between West Division leader Sault Ste. Greyhounds and Saginaw, who have earned five points during this stretch from home, on two wins and a shootout loss.

The Spirit lost in the opener against Oshawa on February 16 at The Dow Event Center, 5-1.

Broadcast, Watch Party & Ticket Info

Listen live on the flagship WSGW 100.5 FM Talk & Sports and fmtalk1005.com with Joey Battaino and Dennis Desrosiers. Pre-game coverage starts at 5:50 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 won their second straight game Saturday in a 6-3 effort over the Hamilton Bulldogs at the FirstOntario Centre.

Eight combined goals were totaled in the first period alone with five coming from Saginaw, who scored four unanswered after trailing 3-2 at 11:25 in the opening frame.

The Spirit, who sweep the two-game season-series against Hamtilon, have collected nine points in their last five games on the road.

Cole Perfetti, Jake Goldowski, Nicholas Porco, Bode Wilde and Owen Tippett all scored in the third straight game in which Saginaw has produced six goals.

Spirit Standouts

Perfetti, drafted by the Spirit in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection with the fifth overall pick, passed former Detroit Red Wing Jan Mursak for the franchise record for most goals in a single-season by a first-year player on Saturday. Ranked second in points (61) and third in goals (29) for the Spirit, Perfetti has garnered at least one point in 16 of the last 18 games dating back to January 11.

Goldowski, who after surpassing double-digits goals on Monday with his 10th of the year against the Sarnia Sting, helped set a new Spirit all-time record for most players with 20 points or more in a single-season. The second-year forward has totaled five points on two goals and three assists during the month of February.

Porco, the second-year forward, ended a six-game stretch without a point Monday before registering his first goal Saturday since January 25. The former 2017 Priority Selection fourth overall pick has 19 goals and 11 assists for 30 points on the season.

Wilde, the New York Islanders second-round (41st overall) pick in the 2018 NHL Draft, leads all OHL defensemen in power-play goals (9) this season and is third in both assists (44) and points (60). The native of Plymouth, Michigan, completed his 19th multi-point outing Thursday in a 6-3 win over the Barrie Colts.

Tippett, who was taken 10th in the 2017 NHL Draft by the Florida Panthers, has finished with at least point in eight of the last nine games, hovering above the double-digit mark in points (11), assists (16) and points (27) since coming over from the Mississauga Steelheads before the trade deadline. Tippett's four points on Saturday marked the fourth time in which the 20-year-old has done so this season.

2018 Arizona Coyotes goaltending prospect Ivan Prosvetov came in relief against the Bulldogs but grabbed his 30th win in 45 appearances this season. The former 2018 OHL Import Draft first-rounder has a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.05, 0.905 save percentage (SAV%) and is averaging 27.2 saves per game.

Former Colts captain and overage defenseman Justin Murray's offensive production has soared in the last 11 days, recording two goals and five assists in six games played, to now holding the highest plus-minus rating among all Saginaw players at +26.

2017 Detroit Red Wings prospect Brady Gilmour has picked up 10 points on four goals and six assists in the last nine games. Following his three-point outing Thursday, Gilmour is one point shy of tying Chicago Blackhawks forward Brandon Saad for 20th all-time in Spirit history in points (131).

Saginaw captain and 2018 Minnesota Wild fifth-rounder Damien Giroux scored once against Barrie to move one point away of tying his season-high of 43 from the 2017-18 campaign. Giroux is second on the team with a plus-minus rating of +24 and ninth in points this year.

D.J. Busdeker is on a season-high seven-game points streak with two goals and six assists for eight points. The Dexter, Michigan, native has finished with one assist in the four games since notching two goals against the Owen Sound Attack on February 15.

On special teams, the Spirit have the league's sixth-best power play unit on 49 goals for a 24.4 percent success rate this season. The penalty kill is ranked fourth overall with 36 goals allowed for an 81.8 percent success rate.

Oshawa Scouting Report

The Generals became the third Eastern Conference club to clinch a playoff berth following the Niagara Ice Dogs and East Division rival Ottawa 67's.

Oshawa is 14 points behind the 67's for the divisional lead but have earned at least one point in the last 11 games and are currently on an eight-game winning streak.

Sunday will be the final of a three-game homestand for the Generals, who embark on a four-game road trip over the next two weekends.

Four key regular-season roster additions in Brandon Saigeon, Anthony Salinitri, Brett Neumann and Nicolas Mattinen are among the top-six in total points among all Oshawa players through 59 games.

Saigeon, a Colorado Avalanche prospect, yields a stat line of 36 goals, 49 assists for 85 points. The latter of which is tied for seventh-best in the OHL. Salinitri, who was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2017, is first on the team with 40 goals and second with 78 points.

Signed as a free agent with the Boston Bruins in 2017, goaltender Kyle Keyser is 25-7-2-0 through 37 appearances, having not lost in regulations since January 27.

On special teams, Oshawa is ranked fifth in the OHL on the penalty kill this season with 45 goals allowed for an 81.3 percent success rate. The Generals have the fifth-best man-up unit with 63 goals scored for a 25.3 percent success rate.

Featured NHL Prospects

There will be a combined 14 players on the ice Sunday with their rights owned by NHL teams. For the Generals, it'll be Saigeon (Colorado), Keyser (Boston FA), Serron Noel (Florida), Allan McShane (Montreal), Giovanni Vallati (Winnipeg) and Nico Gross (NY Rangers).

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

Looking Ahead

The Spirit wrap up their two-week long road trip Wednesday when they visit Sault Ste. Marie at 7:07 p.m. (EST).

It'll be the sixth of an eight-game regular-season series between Saginaw and second-place OHL Western Conference Greyhounds and the third at the GFL Memorial Gardens.

Having secured three wins against the Soo this season, including two at home, a win tonight and Wednesday would jump the Spirit to first place in the division for the first time since the month of September.

2017 Philadelphia Flyers first-rounder Morgan Forst is the first OHL player to reach triple-digit points (100) through the latter half of February. The 19-year-old forward is also first in the league in assists (64).

In 42 appearances, Los Angeles Kings goaltending prospect Matthew Villalta has compiled a record of 28-9-4-0 with a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.12 and a 0.899 save percentage (SAV%).

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics




Images from this story

Tribute Communities Centre, home of the Oshawa Generals
Tribute Communities Centre, home of the Oshawa Generals
   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 24, 2019


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