OHL Saginaw Spirit

Spirit Set for Three Game Weekend

Published on September 29, 2009 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


(Saginaw, MI) The Saginaw Spirit are ready for an upcoming three game set, with two road match-ups leading up to a home contest against the Sarnia Sting Saturday night. The team enters the week tied for third place in the OHL West Division with 6 points and a record of 3-1-0-0.

The Spirit are one of two teams in the division with the lowest goals against ranking, thanks in part to goalie Anthony Peters allowing only nine goals and earning a 0.925 save percentage in four games. Team points leader Jordan Skellett has posted eight points in four games this season, with Barry Sanderson and Russian Ivan Telegin each notching three goals. The Spirit have seen a lot of production from its rookie corps, with Anthony Camara and Vince Trocheck each posting two goals to compliment Telegin's three.

The team pays a visit to last season's OHL Eastern Conference Champions, the Brampton Battalion, Thursday October 1 at 7:00 PM. The Battalion enter the week winless in their first three games of the new season. The team is awaiting word on the potential return of all star forwards Cody Hodgson (Vancouver Canucks) and Matt Duchene (Colorado Avalanche) from their respective NHL clubs, but in the meantime winger Sean Jones has lead the way on offense with two goals in three games. Anaheim Ducks pick Matt Clark anchors the blue line while goalie Patrick Killeen, with his 0.909 save percentage and 2.67 goals against average in three games, safeguards the Battalion's net.

The Spirit travel to Kitchener Friday, October 2 to take on the Rangers at 7:30 PM in what should be an exciting OHL Western Conference match-up. The Rangers are leading the OHL Midwest Division with a record of 2-0-0-1. Center Jeff Skinner has put up huge points in the opening round of the season, notching five goals and two assists in three games. Winger Jason Akeson's four goals and rookie winger Gabriel Landeskog's two goals have bolstered the Rangers offensive production to the tune of 14 goals in three games. Kitchener has called on two different goalies to start the season, with interesting stories behind both. Goalie Mavric Parks put up a .951 save percentage and 1.92 goals against average in his first game back with his former team. The Rangers traded him to the Kingston Frontenacs two seasons ago before getting him back this summer. Netminder Brandon Maxwell was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche after spending last season with the USNTDP program in Ann Arbor and comes into the league with a lot of hype after being the focal point of a lot of trade talk near the end of last season. He was drafted into the OHL by the Erie Otters, who proceeded to trade his rights to the 2009 Memorial Cup Champions the Windsor Spitfires. The Spits traded his rights to Kitchener midway through last season.

The Spirit round out their three game tilt at home, hosting division rival the Sarnia Sting at 7:11 PM Saturday, October 3. The Sting are sitting at the bottom of the division with only one win, but with 64 games left to play on the season that is not necessarily indicative of their talent or capabilities. Center Ben O'Quinn, winger Kale Kerbashian and center Steve Reese are driving the Sting offense in the first four games of the season, with each player averaging a point a game. There is a strong youth movement happening in Sarnia, with rookies Brandon Francisco and Brett Ritchie forming the foundation of what could eventually become a potent offense. Jesse Raymond and Shayne Campbell have split time in net for the Sting.

Tickets are on sale now for Saturday's home game against the Sarnia Sting! Contact the Official Saginaw Spirit Ticket and Merchandise Store at 5789 State Street in Saginaw or call the store at 989-497-7747 to get your tickets! Saturday's game starts at 7:11 PM, and features a schedule magnet schedule giveaway courtesy Four Points by Sheraton and Coors Light.

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from September 29, 2009


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