Zhilkin Records Three Points in Close Game 1 Loss to Rangers
OHL Saginaw Spirit

Zhilkin Records Three Points in Close Game 1 Loss to Rangers

Published on March 27, 2026 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw Spirit left wing Dimian Zhilkin
Saginaw Spirit left wing Dimian Zhilkin
(Saginaw Spirit)

Kitchener, Ont. - The Saginaw Spirit visited the Kitchener Rangers for Game 1 of the OHL Playoffs at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. Dima Zhilkin finished the night with two goals and an assist, and Levi Harper, Nikita Klepov, and Egor Barabanov each had two-point games. Neither team held more than a one-goal lead until the very end of the game, a 6-4 Rangers win with an empty netter.

The Rangers drew first blood on the power-play, with Sam O'Reilly tipping in a point shot from Jack Pridham for the first goal of the series. Christian Humphreys picked up the secondary assist as the Rangers led the Spirit 1-0 10:13 into the first.

After 1: SAG 0 - 1 KIT (Total Shots: 3 - 11)

Fifty-nine seconds into the second, Egor Barabanov would tie it at one after he drove the net from the left circle, squeaking one past Christian Kirsch. Dima Zhilkin and James Guo picked up the assists as the Spirit stood tied at 1-1 with the Rangers.

The Spirit continued their offensive pressure in the second, with captain Dima Zhilkin giving the Spirit their first lead of the series after he tipped in a shot from the left circle. Levi Harper fired the initial shot for the primary assist, and Nikita Klepov picked up the secondary at 18:14.

The Rangers repeated their first goal of the game to tie it in the second, with Sam O'Reilly scoring his second of the game after tipping in a shot in the crease. Jack Pridham and Christian Humphreys picked up the assists for their second points of the game, as the two teams stood tied at 18:14.

Levi Harper slapped in a loose puck with under a minute to go to restore the lead for Saginaw. Harper scored unassisted at 19:14 to give the Spirit a 3-2 advantage headed into the third.

After 2: SAG 3 - 2 KIT (2nd period shots: 12 - 9 Total shots: 15 - 20)

Christian Humphreys responded early in the third for the Rangers after he was found wide open in the left circle for his first of the playoffs. Jack Pridham sent it cross ice for his third assist of the game, and Alexander Bilecki picked up the secondary assist as the Rangers tied it at 3-3 at 4:30.

The Spirit would take back the lead for the third time after Dima Zhilkin fired in his second goal of the night from between the dots, blocker side past Kirsch. Egor Barabanov picked up the primary assist, and Nikita Klepov picked up the secondary as the Saginaw Spirit led 4-3 at 10:12.

The Rangers would again tie it on the power play, with Christian Humphreys picking up his second of the night after firing in a rocket from the slot. Cameron Reid picked up the primary assist, and Sam O'Reilly picked up his third point of the night with the secondary assist at 12:37.

Kitchener captain Cameron Reid scored his first career playoff goal to give the Rangers a 5-4 lead late in the first, firing a steep-angle shot past Shurygin. Dylan Edwards and Carson Campbell picked up the assists as the Rangers took the lead at 13:16.

Matthew Andonovski would ice the game for the Rangers, scoring into the empty net at 19:55 to make it a 6-4 game in favor of Kitchener.

Final: SAG 4 - 6 KIT (3rd period shots 10 - 20, Total shots 25 - 40)

Powerplays: SAG 0/0 KIT 3/3

Goaltenders: SAG: Stepan Shurygin (34 saves, 39 shots) KIT: Christian Kirsch (21 saves, 25 shots)

The Spirit, trailing 1-0 in the series, stay in Kitchener for Game 2 on Sunday night. Puck drop is at 7:00pm.

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics

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Images from this story

Saginaw Spirit left wing Dimian Zhilkin
Saginaw Spirit left wing Dimian Zhilkin
   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 27, 2026


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