OHL Saginaw Spirit

Three Game Road Trip for Spirit

Published on January 20, 2010 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


(Saginaw, MI) The Spirit will head on the road this weekend for three games in as many days, all against teams fighting for spots in the OHL playoff picture. Saginaw will face off against last year's first round playoff opponent the Guelph Storm to open the trip on Friday night at 7:30 PM. Saturday will see Saginaw face off in Belleville against the Bulls at 7:05 PM and the weekend concludes on Sunday evening in Oshawa against the Generals at 6:05 PM. Fans can catch all the games live on FM Talk and Sports WSGW 100.5!

The Spirit enter the week in fourth place in the Ontario Hockey League's West Division and in sixth position in the Western Conference with a record of 22-17-4-1, good for 49 points. Saginaw is two points back of fourth place Plymouth and a single point behind fifth place Sault Ste. Marie. The Spirit's All Star Game representative Jordan Skellett (19-47-66) continues to enjoy a terrific season, ranking third in league points and number one overall in assists. NHL Draft Eligible forward Josh Shalla (25-23-48) is the team's leading goal scorer and is a solid plus-18 on the season.

On the injury front, the Spirit are without the services of Ivan Telegin (18-13-31), (upper body) and Garret Ross (7-4-11) (knee) for this weekend's games. Right winger Dylan Fitze, a 92-born player selected by the Spirit 59th overall in the 2008 OHL Priority Selection, has been called up for the trip.

Saginaw Spirit at Guelph Storm - The Storm are coming off a much needed win on home ice this past Sunday as they knocked off the Sudbury Wolves, led by Peter Holland's (14-22-36) four goal effort. Holland is a first round draft pick of the Anaheim Ducks. Taylor Beck (25-40-65), a Nashville Predators prospect, will represent the Storm at the All Star Game and is the reigning OHL Player of the Week. Beck is fourth in league scoring this season. Former IceDog Matt Sisca (22-17-39) has also been a consistent producer offensively for the Storm as well. Guelph enters the week in ninth spot in the Western Conference nine points back of the eighth seeded Owen Sound Attack. Guelph has not missed the OHL's post season in 17 years.

Saginaw Spirit at Belleville Bulls - Saginaw will conclude its two game season set against another team in a battle for its playoff lives as they will skate against the Bulls on the Olympic sized ice surface at the Yardmen Arena. Belleville, like Guelph, is currently in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, four points back of the Brampton Battalion. Brampton is the holder of the final playoff spot in the East. On the ice, The Bulls shook things up somewhat at the trade deadline as they were involved in a significant trade with Windsor, sending former number one goaltender Philipp Grubauer to the Spitfires along with Detroit Red Wings prospect Stephen Johnston and veteran defenseman Marc Cantin. In return, the Bulls got Windsor's first round pick Austen Brassard (7-11-18), Tampa prospect Richard Panik (11-10-21), and defenseman Paul Bezzo (2-8-10). The game will also see the Spirit up against former Saginaw goaltender Anthony Peters, who is part of a one two punch in goal with rookie Tyson Teichmann. Belleville also features one of the league's top offensive defenseman in Shawn Lalonde (9-25-34), a draft pick of the Chicago Black Hawks, and the all time leader in Bulls history for goals by a defenseman.

Saginaw Spirit at Oshawa Generals - Unlike the first two teams the Spirit will be up against this weekend the Generals are steadily in the playoff picture in the East, currently seventh in the circuit. Despite their standing in the records however, they enter the week winners of just three of their last ten games. On the ice, a couple of components of last year's mega trade with London that saw current NHL skaters John Tavares and Michael Del Zotto move to the Knights are key components for the Generals. Christian Thomas (24-19-43) is having a solid season leading the team in goals and points and Scott Valentine (2-12-14) is one of their top anchors on the blueline. Oshawa also gets quality minutes on the backend from New York Islanders first round pick Calvin de Haan (5-19-24), who was a member of Team Canada's Silver Medal winning outfit at the recently completed World Jr. Championship. The Generals also made news off the ice recently as former Kitchener Rangers and current Florida Panthers Coach Pete DeBoer and one time NHL fifty goal shooter Adam Graves have joined the Oshawa ownership group.

Game Tickets - Tickets are on sale for the upcoming Spirit home games on January 28 against the Brampton Battalion and January 30 against the Sarnia Sting. Both games start at 7:11 PM. Contact the Spirit at 989-497-7747 or visit the Official Saginaw Spirit Ticket and Merchandise Store at 5789 State Street in Saginaw for more information!

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 20, 2010


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