Zhilkin Scores Twice, Spirit Fall to Firebirds 5-4 in Flint
OHL Saginaw Spirit

Zhilkin Scores Twice, Spirit Fall to Firebirds 5-4 in Flint

Published on October 18, 2025 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Saginaw Spirit News Release


Saginaw Spirit goaltender Stepan Shurygin vs. the Flint Firebirds
Saginaw Spirit goaltender Stepan Shurygin vs. the Flint Firebirds
(Saginaw Spirit, Credit: Natalie Shaver - OHL Images)

Flint, Mich. - In game two of the Coors Light I-75 Divide Cup series, the Spirit lost 5-4 against the Firebirds in another action-packed rivalry matchup. The teams went back and forth on the score sheet, and the Spirit looked to capitalize on a three-point night by Dima Zhilkin, but their comeback effort fell just short.

The Spirit came out of the gate hot, firing shots on Mason Vaccari, and were quickly rewarded. Jacob Cloutier found Levi Harper in the right circle to put the Spirit on the board first. That marked Harper's fourth goal of the season, and Dima Zhilkin picked up the secondary assist, giving him a point in two straight games.

The Firebirds did not stay down long and got an opportunity of their own when James Guo took a delay of game penalty just a minute after Harper's goal. With 17 seconds left in Guo's penalty, Nathan Aspinall got the puck from Urban Podrekar and fired a one-time shot to get the puck past Stepan Shurygin.

The back-and-forth action in the first frame continued just over a minute after Aspinall's power play goal. Harper was able to win a puck battle on the boards, sliding the puck to Nikita Klepov, who entered the slot and fired the puck past Vaccari. Klepov's eighth goal of the season put the Spirit back in front halfway through the first, 2-1.

The Firebirds found their response to finish the final minutes of the period, when Darian Anderson and Luka Graziano were both able to score 53 seconds apart, putting Flint up after an action-packed 20 minutes of action. Tensions flared at the end of the period between Alex Kostov and Jacob Cloutier, who both received two-minute roughing penalties to give both teams some open ice with 4-on-4 action to start the second period.

After 1: SAG: 2 - FLNT: 3 (Total Shots: 7 - 7)

The Firebirds carried their momentum into the second period, as Christian Colosimo scored his first OHL goal with a shot from the top of the zone to extend the Flint lead. The Spirit took control of the shot count, but Vaccari kept the puck away from the net. Halfway through the period, the Firebirds struck again on a breakaway. Aspinall tried to slide the puck past Shurygin, who made the initial save, but Christopher Thibodeau came in just behind Aspinall with speed to poke the puck home for a 4-2 lead.

Soon after Thibodeau's insurance goal, the Spirit found their opportunity on the power play. Harper fed Zhilkin the puck just below the left circle, and his shot would find the top right corner of the net to put the Spirit back into the game. Zhilkin's goal was his second point of the night and his first goal scored since returning to the lineup a week ago. Harper, on the assist, picked up his third point of the night, and Cloutier picked up his second point with the secondary assist.

After 2: SAG: 3 - FLNT: 5 (2nd period shots: 15 - 7 Total shots: 22- 14)

Zhilkin continued his impressive performance with a goal off an offensive zone faceoff to bring the Spirit within a goal. Nikita Klepov won the draw and picked up the only assist midway through the period.

However, after Zhilkin's goal, the Spirit could not get any more shots past Vaccari and fell to the Firebirds in a close matchup on the road.

Final: SAG: 4 - FLNT: 5 (3rd period shots 12 - 8, Total shots 34 - 22)

Powerplays SAG 1/2 FLNT 1/2

Goaltenders: SAG Stepan Shurygin (17 saves, 22 shots), FLNT Mason Vaccari (30 saves, 34 shots)

Game three of the Coors Light I-75 Divide Cup series continues on Sunday, October 19th, at the Dow Event Center as the Spirit look to bounce back on rivalry weekend. Puck drop is at 5:30 as the Spirit celebrate Pride Night with Dow and Great Lakes Bay Pride.

Check out the Saginaw Spirit Statistics

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Images from this story

Saginaw Spirit goaltender Stepan Shurygin vs. the Flint Firebirds
Saginaw Spirit goaltender Stepan Shurygin vs. the Flint Firebirds
(Natalie Shaver - OHL Images)		   



Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 18, 2025


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