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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Spirit Take Commanding 3-0 Series Lead on Greyhounds

April 9, 2019 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Sault Ste. Marie, ON - The Saginaw Spirit comeback from a three-goal deficit to defeat the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, 7-5 in Game Three Tuesday evening at GFL Memorial Gardens in Sault Ste. Marie, ON.

Saginaw took a commanding 3-0 series lead in round two and look to close out the series in Game Four on Thursday, April 11 at 7:07 p.m.

Florida Panthers 2017 first round pick Owen Tippett extended his post-season point streak to seven games. Tippett collected his third consecutive, three-point game with a goal and two assists.

Saginaw first round pick Cole Perfetti scored the eventual game-winner on the man-power advantage in the third period.

Detroit Red Wings prospect Brady Gilmour extended his playoff point streak to five games with a goal and assist.

The Spirit killed both Greyhounds man-power advantages to remain a perfect 28-for-28 in the post-season.

The Soo Greyhounds opened the scoring just 1:07 into the first period. 2017 Philadelphia Flyers first round pick Morgan Frost put a backhand shot past Arizona Coyotes prospect Ivan Prosvetov on a rebound.

The Greyhounds took their first lead of the series with the goal to open the scoring.

Saginaw nearly tied the game after overager Albert Michnac attempted to dump the puck into the Sault Ste. Marie zone redirected off a linesman into the Soo net.

2018 Arizona Coyotes fifth overall pick Barrett Hayton gave the Soo a two-goal lead just 2:15 into the first period of play. The Greyhounds captain's wrist shot from the top of the left face-off circle off the left post and into the net.

The Peterborough, Ontario native Hayton is first among Soo players with 11 points this post-season.

The Greyhounds extended their lead to three goals just under nine minutes into the first period. Rookie right-winger Jaromir Pytlik jammed home a loose puck in front of the net for his fourth goal of the post-season.

Despite the score, Prosvetov continued to play hard and made several strong saves to keep the Spirit close. While on the man-power advantage, Frost had a bid for his second goal of the game with a slap shot from the top of the left-circle. Prosvetov denied the Soo center's slap shot with a quick glove save.

The Spirit found twine for the first time with just over a minute remaining in the first period with a goal by Cole Coskey. The Zion, Illinois native hammered home a rebound from overager Justin Murray's shot from the point for his first goal of the post-season.

The right-winger Coskey led Saginaw in scoring for most of the regular season until missing the last 12 games with an injury.

Prosvetov kept the Spirit in the game in the first period of play with 17 saves on 20 Sault Ste. Marie shots. Saginaw was outshot 20-10 in the first 20 minutes of play and the Greyhounds took a 3-1 lead into the first intermission.

Dexter, Michigan native D.J. Busdeker brought the Spirit within a goal with just over two minutes into the second period. The Saginaw alternate captain put home a loose puck rebound at the top of the crease for his second goal of this season's playoffs.

The Soo took back the goal just over three minutes by Joe Carroll with his first goal of the post-season. Carroll sent a perfect wrist shot top-shelf from the right face-off dot for his first goal of the post-season.

New York Islanders signee Bode Wilde brought the Spirit back within a goal just over two minutes after the Carroll goal with his fourth of the post-season. Thornhurst, Pennsylvania native Jake Goldowski sent a pass over to Wilde at the left-point.

The Saginaw defenseman skated to the top of the left circle and sniped a wrist shot top corner for the goal.

Just 20 seconds after the Wilde goal, Detroit Red Wings prospect Brady Gilmour scored his second of the post-season to make it a 4-4 tie. After the Greyhounds' Frost fanned on a shot at the Spirit point, 2017 Florida Panthers 10th overall pick Owen Tippett sprung Gilmour on a breakaway.

Saginaw's alternate captain took a quick wrist shot from the top of the slot that just squeaked through Villalta for the goal.

With the assist, Saginaw's post-season points leader Tippett extended his post-season point streak to seven games.

The Spirit would collect their third goal in under two minutes with a goal by Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native Camaryn Baber's. Baber was able to sneak a low wrist shot through Villalta's five-hole to give Saginaw their first lead of Game Three.

The Greyhounds got the goal back just over a minute later when Carroll added his second goal of the game in similar fashion to his first tally. The Soo center sent a wrist shot top-corner from the left face-off dot to bring the Greyhounds back even.

The teams went into the second intermission tied, 5-5.

Prosvetov made a huge save five minutes into the third period after Detroit Red Wings defensive prospect Reilly Webb lost his stick. The Russian goaltender stopped a deflected shot from the point and kept the puck out after Soo players tried to poke the puck into the net.

Gilmour nearly scored his second of the game midway through the third period after Minnesota Wild prospect Damien Giroux beat out an icing. The Spirit captain took a check to make a nice pass to Gilmour in the slot but the Spirit center's deke rolled off his stick.

After a too-many-men bench minor call on the Greyhounds, Saginaw first round pick Cole Perfetti gave the Spirit the go-ahead goal on the power play. Perfetti found a loose puck to the left of the crease and slammed home the shot for the eventual game-winner.

Saginaw right-winger Tippett added an empty-net goal with just under two minutes remaining in regulation to make it a 7-5 Game Three Spirit victory.

Applebee's Three Stars of the Game:

Bode Wilde (SAG) G, +1

Joe Carroll (SSM) 2G

Owen Tippett (SAG) G, 2A

The Saginaw Spirit look to close out the Western Conference Semi-Finals on Thursday, April 11 in game four. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. from the GFL Memorial Gardens.

Fans can follow all the action on the flagship WSGW 100.5 FM Talk and Sports and fmtalk1005.com with Joey Battaino and Dennis Desrosiers on the call. "Countdown to Face-off" begins 15 minutes prior to puck drop for all your pregame coverage.

Fans can also watch the game live from the Saginaw Spirit "Watch Party" from the 2690 Tittabawassee Road Buffalo Wild Wings location.

If necessary, the Spirit will return to The Dow Event Center for Game Five on Friday, April 12 against the Soo Greyhounds. Saginaw is unbeaten at home through four games this post-season.

Tickets for Game Five *if necessary* are on sale now on saginawspirit.com, ticketmaster.com, and at the Saginaw Spirit Store at 5789 State Street in Saginaw. The Spirit will not be taking orders over the phone at this time.

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