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Saginaw Spirit

Spirit Fall in Game 2 Despite Goals from Parekh and Sima

April 13, 2024 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw Spirit's Joey Willis on game night
Saginaw Spirit's Joey Willis on game night
(Saginaw Spirit, Credit: Eric Young)

Saginaw, Mich. - The Saginaw Spirit fell to the Soo Greyhounds 5-2 on Saturday night, evening their second-round series at one game apiece.

The Soo tallied the first goal of the game at 4:45 into the first period. After applying pressure in the Saginaw zone former Flint Firebird Gavin Hayes stole and puck and moved it to Jacob Frasca. The Caledon, ON native then found Julian Fantino wide open in the slot where the slick winger placed a perfect shot past the glove of Andrew Oke for his first of the OHL Playoffs, setting a 1-0 Greyhounds lead.

Following a penalty by the Soo's Justin Cloutier for slashing, Hunter Haight gathered a loose puck near the left side boards and slid a pass into the left circle finding Calem Mangone. The Saginaw winger then directed the puck to the blueline finding Zayne Parekh. The draft eligible defensemen skated in and let loose a wrist shot just above the left circle slipping past the screened Charlie Schenkel and into the net for the d-man's second of the OHL Playoff and tying the game at one.

Late into the period, the Spirit turned the puck over at the blue line with the Soo's Justin Cloutier recollected the puck. After a quick pass to Jordan D'Intino, the Greyhounds' winger split the defense and placed a left-handed wrist shot past Oke for his third of the OHL Playoffs.

AFTER 1: SOO 2 - 1 SAG (Total Shots: 7 - 7)

At 8:32 into the second, goaltender Andrew Oke suffered an upper body injury after a collision behind the net. Nolan Lalonde was brought in to replace him.

The Soo added to their lead on the powerplay after Saginaw was assessed a bench minor for too many men. Kirill Kudryavtsev found Gavin Hayes near the blue line who looked to move the puck to Owen Allard. The Ottawa native took the puck near the right circle, back up, and placed turned a shot through Lalonde for the two-goal lead.

AFTER 2: SOO 3 - 1 SAG (2nd period shots: 8 - 12, Total Shots: 15 - 19

The Spirit got back to within one after Joey Willis made a quick pass from the left sideboards into the center slot. Rodwin Dionicio was slashing toward the net, stopped, and made a pass out to Nic Sima who shoveled home his third of the playoffs.

Halfway through the final frame, Andrew Gibson made a pass up to the right wing finding Justin Cloutier. The Soo winger took the pass and fired a shot that seemed to be going wide of the net. Jordan D'Intino, standing to the right of the goal, angled his stick and deflected the shot perfectly through the legs of Nolan Lalonde for his second of the game and a 4-2 score.

Late into the third, Jordan D'Intino netted his third of the game off an assist from Kirill Kudryavtsev to ice the game.

FINAL: SOO 5 - 2 SAG (3rd period shots: 6 - 8, Total Shots: 21 - 27)

Game 3 will take place at the GFL Memorial Gardens on Monday, April 15th with a 7:07 start time.

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Images from this story

Saginaw Spirit's Joey Willis on game night
Saginaw Spirit's Joey Willis on game night
(Eric Young)		   

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from April 13, 2024


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