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OHL Saginaw Spirit

Spirit Weekly Preview Presented by Yeo & Yeo: March 9th and 11th

March 8, 2023 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw Spirit right wing Nick Sima (right)
Saginaw Spirit right wing Nick Sima (right)
(Saginaw Spirit)

With eight games left in the regular season, the Saginaw Spirit return home to host a pair of Western Conference foes this week in Erie and Sault Ste. Marie. Last week, the Spirit took their final trip through Eastern Ontario. Making stops in Peterborough, Ottawa, and Kingston, Saginaw claimed five out of six possible points and locked up their 14th playoff berth in franchise history. This spring, Spirit playoff hockey is powered by Consumers Energy and brought to you by Dow.

Prior to departing for the trip, goaltender Tristan Lennox signed his entry-level contract with the New York Islanders. The next day, Hunter Haight put pen to paper with the Minnesota Wild.

Quick Hits:

- Saginaw Spirit (32-24-2-2)

- 3rd in the West Division

- 4th in the Western Conference

- Last week: 2-0-0-1

- Team Stats

Spirit by the Numbers

- Saginaw's road record has been a spot of pride in the past month; a 6-1-0-1 clip since February 15th.

- Tristan Lennox set a franchise record with 59 saves in a 2-0 shutout against Peterborough on March 2nd. Not only was it the highest-save shutout performance in franchise history, but the highest in the OHL for 25 years.

- Spirit Captain Mitchell Smith has led by example in the last ten games, with four goals and nine assists for 13 points in that time.

- Center Matyas Sapovaliv hit the 100-point mark in his OHL career Sunday in Kingston. He's also been instrumental for Saginaw in the past few weeks, with eight goals and two assists for ten points in the last nine games.

Game by Game

Thursday, March 9th vs. Erie - Opioid Awareness Night

The Erie Otters return to the Dow Event Center one final time on Thursday night. For Erie, it will be the second game of a back-to-back which begins Wednesday night in Flint. It's been a tough go for the Otters against the West Division this season, with a record of 5-9-0-0 through 14 games. Saginaw has taken two of three matchups with Erie so far this season, most recently a 4-3 win at the Dow Event Center on February 8th. Roberto Mancini's 12th goal of the season with less than two minutes remaining in the 3rd period pushed the Spirit past the Otters. All-time against Erie, the Spirit have a record of 50-29-2-1.

Prior to the game, Detroit Red Wings broadcaster Ken Daniels will be speaking in the Budweiser Red Room and educating fans about the Jamie Daniels Foundation.

Saturday, March 11th vs. Sault Ste. Marie - Hockey for the Homeless

The Soo Greyhounds are at a crossroads in their season. They had hung onto the final playoff spot in the Western Conference for weeks, but a 3-5-1-1 slide in their last ten games combined with a surge from the Kitchener Rangers has left them on the outside looking in. They sit eleven points out of a playoff spot with eight games remaining, and have had mixed results against the Spirit this season. Saginaw is 3-1-1-1 against the Soo, most recently enjoying a 6-2 victory at GFL Memorial Gardens on February 15th. Mitchell Smith enjoyed a three point-night, and Zayne Parekh scored his OHL-record-setting 20th goal of the season in a three-point night of his own.

The Spirit will be wearing specialty jerseys on Saturday night that will be auctioned off after the game, with proceeds benefiting Rescue Ministries of Mid-Michigan and the Samaritan Youth Shelter. Both organizations will be tabling in the Budweiser Red Room prior to the game as part of Hockey for the Homeless night.

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics




Images from this story

Saginaw Spirit right wing Nick Sima (right)
Saginaw Spirit right wing Nick Sima (right)
   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 8, 2023


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