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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Spirit Score Seven Unanswered In 7-1 Win Over Flint

December 9, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw Spirit celebrate win
Saginaw Spirit celebrate win
(Saginaw Spirit, Credit: Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)

Flint, Mich. - The Saginaw Spirit (17-9-0-1) defeated the Flint Firebirds (13-12-2-1) 7-1 at the Dort Financial Center on Saturday night. Zayne Parkeh collected four points (1G, 3A), Sebastien Gervais finished with three points (1G, 2A), Matyas Sapovaliv collected his third game with three assists, and captain Braden Haché scored two goals, including the game-winner. Nolan Lalonde guarded the net for Saginaw, stopping 22 of the 23 Flint shots. Nathan Day stopped 22 of 29 for the Firebirds.

The game's events started at 11:11 into the first period when the Spirit received a penalty for too many men, setting up the Firebirds on the game's first power play.

On the ensuing power play, Flint won the initial faceoff, setting up an offensive zone opportunity. Tristan Bertucci received the pass off the faceoff and glided to the center of the ice, feeding a pass to Braeden Kressler. Kressler and Bertucci passed the puck back and forth near the blue line until Bertucci fired a one-time slap shot on goal, beating Saginaw goaltender Nolan Lalonde up high. Bertucci's third of the year and Kressler's team-leading 20th assist set a 1-0 lead for the Firebirds.

Saginaw responded with a goal of their own late into the first period. A mad scramble in front of the net led to a missed shot that slid behind the Saginaw goal. Hunter Haight tapped the puck to Calem Mangone, who skated behind the net looking for a teammate out front. Magone spotted Braden Haché at the top of the left circle. Haché received the pass and fired a slap shot into the crowded crease, finding the twine behind Firebirds' goaltender Nathan Day. Haché's fourth of the year tied the game up and finalized a 1-1 tie at the end of the first period.

Saginaw and Flint entered the first intermission tied 1-1, with the Firebirds outshooting the Spirit 8 to 7.

Only 33 seconds into the second period, Braden Haché fed a pass up to Matyas Sapovaliv andcarried the puck into the Flint zone, slashing toward the goal. Sapovaliv backhands a pass cross-crease, looking for Alex Christopoulos' stick. His shot was expertly saved by Nathan Day. However, with a wide-open goal, the rebound was left in the center of the goal crease. Saginaw captain Braden Haché took advantage of the evicted goal, scoring his second of the game and fifth of the year for a 2-1 Saginaw lead.

Saginaw expanded their lead on a delayed call opportunity at 12:52 in the period. After Nolan Lalonde got to the bench, Saginaw took advantage of the six on five. Zayne Parekh took a pass from Sebastien Gervais and drifted up near the blue line and split the Flint defense. Parekh made a pass back door, landing squarely on the stick of Hunter Haight. His shot missed the wide-open goal mouth, clanking off the far post. The puck returned to Haight, whose second shot was accurate, netting his 13th of the year and giving Saginaw a 3-1 lead.

The Spirit would again extend their lead at 17:53 into the period. A disrupted Flint clear placed the puck behind the Firebird's goal. Sebastien Gervais tipped the puck out to the front of the net, looking for an available teammate. Zayne Parekh charged the net, connecting with the puck. The puck ricocheted off a Flint defender to a pair of skates and past goaltender Nathan Day, netting Parekh his 11th of the year and setting a 4-1 lead.

At the conclusion of the second period, Saginaw held a 4-1 lead while outshooting the Firebirds 17 to 14.

At 11:42 into the third period, Flint's Marko Stojkov received a two-minute checking from behind penalty, setting up Saginaw on their first powerplay of the game.

After digging the puck out of a scrum, Alex Christopoulos backhanded the puck back up to the blue line, finding Zayne Parekh. A quick pass over to Matyas Sapovaliv opened a one-time slapshot opportunity that the Vegas prospect took. Sapovaliv's shot sailed toward the goal and was tipped in front by Michael Misa. His tipped shot was perfectly placed past goaltender Nathan Day, giving Misa his team-leading 14th of the year and the Spirit a 5-1 lead.

Following a barrage of unsportsmanlike penalties by both teams, Saginaw would again get a two-minute powerplay opportunity on a Matthew Wang roughing call.

The scoring play began with a pass from Matyas Sapovaliv to Zayne Parekh. He let loose a shot on goal that Alex Christopoulos tipped past Nathan Day for this second goal in as many games and the 6-1 lead.

Saginaw extended their lead one more after a Firebirds boarding penalty. James Guo lifted a pass to Nic Sima, who wristed a shot on goal. Sebastien Gervais tipped the puck into the gut of goaltender Nathan Day. Gervais poked away at the puck and could slip it in past the Firebirds goaltender and across the line for his second of the year, cementing a 7-1 score.

Saginaw's win brought them up to a (17-9-0-1) record, winning eight of their last ten and dropping Flint to a (13-12-2-1) record. They now hold a 4-1 series lead in the Coors Light I-75 Divide Cup series.

The Spirit's next game is against these same Firebirds on Thursday, December 14th, at home at the Dow Event Center with a scheduled puck drop of 7:05 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 celebrate win
Saginaw Spirit celebrate win
(Natalie Shaver/OHL Images)		   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 9, 2023


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