Spirit Snap Skid in Teddy Bear Toss Classic against Oshawa
OHL Saginaw Spirit

Spirit Snap Skid in Teddy Bear Toss Classic against Oshawa

Published on December 20, 2025 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw, Mich. - The Spirit welcomed the Oshawa Generals to the Dow Event Center for the final game before the holiday break, and in three periods that each told a different tale, the Spirit came out with a hard-fought 6-4 victory on GFL Teddy Bear Toss night.

Nikita Klepov, Dima Zhilkin, Sebastien Gervais, Carson Harmer, and Nic Sima all secured a multi-point game in the win.

Teddy bears flew within the first five minutes of the game. The top line was reunited with Zhilkin's return from suspension. Zhilkin instantly made an impact on the game with a key poke check, stopping a Generals' rush, and sending the puck up for Klepov to bury his second chance shot against Jaden Cholette. 5,129 teddy bears made their way to the ice to be donated to local medical centers.

The top line wasn't done in their reunion celebration, connecting just minutes later when Zhilkin found Klepov at the blueline, where Klepov's shot from a distance found the back of the net. Graydon Jones was credited with the secondary assist.

The Spirit felt the momentum throughout the first, jumping on every loose puck they could find and completely controlling the pace of the game. Gervias set up Juraj Ruasa, who missed his opportunity in front of the net, but racing in, Xander Velliaris hopped on the puck for the Spirit's third goal of the period.

Cholette was pulled after Velliaris' goal, and Isaac Gravelle took over in net for his ninth appearance with the Generals this season. Oshawa looked to have a response, but the goal was called off for a distinct kicking motion from the Generals.

Gensen Gelhdart was called for hooking on a delayed penalty that came before the no-goal call, giving the Generals the first power play of the night, but the Spirit had a successful kill to keep them off the board.

Just under five minutes to play in the period, a costly turnover gave the General's Vadim Smirnov a breakaway opportunity, finding the Generals' first goal on the night with a top corner shot over Stepan Shurygin's glove.

The Spirit found their own opportunity on the man-advantage after five total roughing penalties, three for Oshawa and two for the Spirit. Saginaw could not capitalize on the man-advantage, but headed into the first intermission up after an action-packed period.

After 1: SAG: 3 - OSH: 1 (Total Shots: 13 - 7)

The second period was another high-action frame, but told a different story.

The teams traded penalties back and forth early, two-handed out to Zhilkin in the first five minutes of the frame and one to Lucas Teixeira. Neither team was able to capitalize on the man advantage

The Generals were the first to light the lamp in the second period. At the ten-minute mark, Brooks Rogowski connected with Porter Byrd-Leitner in the high slot to fire the puck past Shurygin to make it a one-goal game. Lucas Moore was credited with the secondary assist.

Another Zhilkin penalty sent the Generals to a power play moments later. Harrison Franssen wasted no time finding the back of the net, scoring 26 seconds into the powerplay to tie the game. Rogowski picked up another assist on Franssen's goal. Eight seconds later, the Generals took their first lead of the night off an unassisted goal from Aidan O'Donnell. In under a minute, the Generals had scored three unanswered to make it a new game.

After 2: SAG: 3 - OSH: 4 (2nd period shots: 8 - 11 Total shots: 21 - 18)

The third period showed intensity on both sides of the ice, but neither team found the back of the net in the first ten minutes. The Spirit were jumping at every opportunity until James Guo fired the puck through traffic in the slot and into the back of the net. Guo tied the game up on his second goal of the season, assisted by Jacob Cloutier and Carson Harmer.

The teams battled back and forth, but in the final three minutes, Sima was the hero for the Spirit. Gervais entered the zone and sent the puck into the slot for Sima to fire a wrist shot past Gravelle for his ninth goal and second game-winning goal of the season. Levi Harper grabbed the secondary assist after a stretch pass was delivered to Gervais.

The Generals pulled Gravelle for the extra skater in the final two minutes. Sima cleared the puck that just missed the net, but Harmer rushed in to bury the puck in the empty net for his second point of the night to secure the Spirit victory.

Final: SAG: 6 - OSH: 4 (3rd period shots 11 - 10, Total shots 32 - 28)

Powerplays: SAG 0/3 OSH 1/5

Goaltenders: SAG Stepan Shurygin (24 saves, 28 shots) OSH Jaden Cholette (6 saves, 9 shots) OSH Isaac Gravelle (20 saves, 22 shots)

The Spirit will be back in action after the break on December 28th, when they head north to Sault Sainte Marie to face off against the Soo Greyhounds at the GFL Memorial Gardens. Puck drop is set for 2:07pm.

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 20, 2025


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