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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Spirit Fall Short to Greyhounds, 4-3

November 29, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw Spirit's Matyas Sapovaliv in action
Saginaw Spirit's Matyas Sapovaliv in action
(Saginaw Spirit, Credit: Eric Young)

Saginaw, Mich. - The Saginaw Spirit (14-8-0-1) fell to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (16-7-2-0) by a score of 4-3 at the Dow Event Center on Wednesday night. Zayne Parekh had a three point night (1G, 2A), Joey Willis had a goal and an assist, and the Soo's Bryce McConnell-Barker netted two goals, including the game winner. Andrew Oke started for the Spirit stopping 17 of 21, while Charlie Schenkel guarded the pipes for the Greyhounds, stopping 35 of 38.

Saginaw and Sault Ste. Marie opened the game with racing back and forth play, until Connor Clattenburg sent the Greyhounds on the penalty kill with a tripping penalty at 8:08 into the period. 47 seconds later Saginaw's Alex Christopoulos received a hooking penalty setting 1:13 of four-on-four and a short Greyhounds powerplay that the Spirit would kill off.

The scoring opened at 16:15 into the period when Greyhounds' Andrew Gibson received a pass near the blue line and looked to fire a shot on net. His shot was blocked by a Saginaw defensemen and landed on the stick of Owen Allard. A quick pass to Brenden Sirizzotti caught Saginaw goaltender Andrew Oke off guard. The puck found the net, and Sirizzotti's seventh of the year put the Greyhounds up 1-0.

Sault Ste. Marie's Connor Clattenburg received a checking from behind penalty at 16:58 into the period setting up Saginaw on their second powerplay of the period. Regardless of immense pressure from Saginaw, the Greyhounds were able to kill the penalty off, ending the second period up 1-0 despite being outshot 14-7 at the first intermission.

The Greyhounds extended their lead early into the second period after Travis Hayes intercepted the puck in the neutral zone. After knocking down the Saginaw pass, Hayes skated into the zone near the right-wing boards looking for a teammate. He fed a pass to the high slot that found Alex Kostov. He collected the puck, waited, and placed a shot just between the glove and left pad of Saginaw goaltender Andrew Oke. Kostov's second goal of the year extended the Greyhounds' lead to two.

The period continued until Sault Ste. Marie's Caeden Carlisle received an interference penalty 10:43 into the period.

On the ensuing Saginaw powerplay, the Spirit would have a scrambling puck in front of the net that would be waved off after review. Only seconds after, Matyas Sapovaliv's faceoff win was drawn straight back out to defensemen Zayne Parekh. He side stepped a Greyhounds defender and laced a blazing shot past the glove of Soo goaltender Charlie Schenkel, off the corner post, and past the goal line for Saginaw's first goal of the game. Parekh's ninth of the year brought the Spirit back to within one goal.

At 13:27 into the second period, Saginaw's Alex Christopoulos was called for a double-minor high sticking call, putting the Spirit on the penalty kill for four minutes. 44 seconds into the penalty kill, Sault Ste. Marie's goaltender Charlie Schenkel tangled with a Saginaw forward and received an interference minor, setting up a two minutes four-on-four.

On the four-on-four, Zayne Parekh collected the puck at the blue line and sent a shot toward the goal. The puck was tipped by Michael Misa and rebounded off the right pad of Schenkel straight to Joey Willis. He quickly shoved the puck toward the goal, passing the outstretched glove of Schenkel and finding the twine behind him for Willis's fourth of the year, and tying the game 2-2

A tripping call on Saginaw's Rodwin Dionicio set up a four-on-three powerplay for the Greyhounds for 1:01, 16 seconds of five-on-three, then an ensuing five-on-four powerplay for the remaining 44 seconds.

The Spirit managed to kill off each of previously mentioned power plays and entered the second intermission tied 2-2 with the Greyhounds while outshooting the Soo 14 to 10 in the period, and 28 to 17 overall.

The Greyhounds again scored early in the third period. Sault Ste. Marie's attempted clear was knocked down by Saginaw and onto the stick of a Greyhounds defender. A Soo stretch pass was also knocked down by a Spirit defensemen, however landed on the stick of Sault Ste. Marie's Bryce McConnell-Barker. He would streak across the Saginaw blue line on the break away, slipping a shot between the legs of goaltender Andrew Oke putting the Greyhounds up 3-2.

Saginaw tied the game up at 15:26 into the third after Zayne Parekh skated down the left wing wall and flung a shot on net. A toe save by goaltender Charlie Schenkel ricocheted out to Joey Willis. Calem Mangone picked up Willis' rebound, and pounded home the game-tying goal.

Following a Saginaw turnover, the Greyhounds quickly advanced up ice with Bryce McConnell-Barker providing the initial pass. A three-on-one emerged with Brenden Sirizzotti advancing the puck into the Saginaw zone. A quick pass left to McConnell-Barker, opened a wrist shot opportunity for the Soo forward. His shot snuck past the glove of Andrew Oke and pierced the netting to put Sault Ste. Marie up 4-3.

Despite the Spirit's best efforts, they were unable to tie the game up, snapping the 10-game winning streak losing 4-3 while outshooting the Greyhounds 38 to 21.

This loss drops Saginaw to 14-8-0-1 on the year while keeping Sault Ste. Marie atop the West Division with a 16-7-2-0 record.

Saginaw's next game is on Friday, December 1st at the GFL Memorial Gardens for a rematch against the Soo Greyhounds at 7:07 pm.

For more information, visit saginawspirit.com or follow the team on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

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Images from this story

Saginaw Spirit's Matyas Sapovaliv in action
Saginaw Spirit's Matyas Sapovaliv in action
(Eric Young)		   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 29, 2023


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