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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Spirit Overtake Spitfires 7-6 in OT, Berard, McNeill Two Goals

February 3, 2006 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


(Saginaw, MI) -- Saginaw maintained a three point lead on first place in the OHL West Division, with Friday's 7-6 overtime defeat of Windsor. The Spirit win, coupled with Plymouth's win in Kingston, keeps the Spirit three points ahead of the Whalers. Spirit forward Ryan McDonough also became Saginaw's single season points leader, eclipsing the mark of 68 points set by former Spirit Nick Lees in the 2003-04 season.

Saginaw opened scoring at the 13:44 mark of the first period, when forward Zack Torquato knocked in a Michal Birner (STL '04) rebound. McDonough also assisted. The Spirit carried the 1-0 lead into the second period. Saginaw struck first in the second, when forward Jesse Gimblett backhanded a loose puck into the net. Forwards Chris Chappell and Tim Priamo assisted. The Spirit went up 3-0 when Ryan Berard scored his first goal in a Spirit uniform on a 3-on-2 break. Tom Pyatt (NYR '05) and Tyson Gimblett also assisted.

The Spitfires would begin their comeback shortly after the Berard goal, when they had a 5-on-3 advantage. Bryan Bickell (CHI '04) scored on a one-timer from the point. The Spirit fought back, though, and made it 4-1 when defenseman Patrick McNeill (WAS '05) scored on a loose puck in front of the net. Chappell and Priamo assisted at 9:01 of the second. The Spitfires struck back :22 seconds later, when winger Jared Cipparone scored. The Spitfires cut Saginaw's the lead to 4-3 :12 seconds after that, when Cal O'Reilly (NAS '04) scored on a 2-on-1 break.

The third period began with Berard's second goal of the night that gave the Spirit breathing room at 5-3. Forward Patrick Asselin and defenseman Matt Corrente assisted. The Spitfires answered :41 seconds later, when Bickell scored his second goal of the game. The Spirit re-opened a two goal lead at 6-4, on the powerplay, when McNeill's water-bottle bouncing slapshot from the high-slot beat Windsor's Anthony Guadagnolo. Jesse Gimblett and Birner assisted.

The Spitfires charged back to make it 6-5 at 10:30 of the third when overage defenseman Iain McPhee scored on a slapshot. The Spits then tied to force overtime, shorthanded, at 17:23 when McPhee scored his second goal of the game. A late Spitfires penalty carried over into OT, but Windsor successfully killed it before Saginaw tallied the game-winning goal. Spirit defenseman Corrente set up Tyson Gimblett, who slapped a shot from the right point. McDonough deflected in the game-winner for his 70th point of the season.

Spirit goalie Francois Thuot stopped 20 shots in the effort. The win takes Saginaw's record to 27-21-1-0 on the season, with 55 points. The Spirit return to action Saturday against the Guelph Storm. The Spirit host a post-game autograph session, and welcome former Red Wing great Ted Lindsay for autographs, courtesy Merrill Tool and Machine and Labadie of Bay City.

A complete gamesheet is available at www.ontariohockeyleague.com.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 3, 2006


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