GAME PREVIEW; Feb. 8/17 – SAG @ SSM

#TheHOMESTAND begins TONIGHT (7:07 PM).
From now through to, and including, Sunday, February 26 the Soo Greyhounds will play eight (8) consecutive home games at the Essar Centre.

This week feature’s a trio of Western Conference foes providing the opposition beginning with 6th of 8 meeting this year in the I-75 rivarly with Saginaw.
Both teams enter the game coming off wins in their most recent OHL contest.

Saginaw Spirit (20-23-6-2, 48 points)
@ Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (35-13-2-1, 73 points)

Game is proudly presented by Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services

HEAD-TO-HEAD
After losing the opening game in their season series, the Greyhounds have come back to win four consecutive against the Spirit.
The Hounds have scored four or more goals in each of those games.

W 5-2, Feb. 1 @ SAG
Saginaw opened the scoring in the opening minute before Bobby MacIntyre pulled the Hounds;  Hounds had the only two goals of the second period (Miller, Frost) along with holding Saginaw to just 4 shots on goal;  MacIntyre, Speers scored in third period as Hounds skated to win;  MacIntyre with 3 pt night (2g, 1a) along with being named Red Star 1st Star.
(Boxscore)

W 4-3, Dec 29 @ SAG
After surrendering the first goal of the game 2:30 in, Greyhounds defenceman Conor Timmins pulled the Hounds even to end the first and then gave them a 2-1 lead 7:54 into the second period before sitting tied 2-2 after two;  David Miller gave the Hounds their second lead of the night 6:03 into the third;  Colton White later scored the GWG with 1:04 to play;  Hounds were 1-for-6 on PP and 4-for-4 on PK
(Boxscore)

W 5-3, Dec. 16 @ SSM
After scoreless first period, Hounds scored 4 goals in the second period to take that lead into the third period, thanks to goals by Katchouk, Hayton, Gettinger and Hawel;  Hounds held Saginaw to just 20 shots.
(Boxscore)

W 5-3, Nov. 16 @ SAG
Hounds trailed 1-0 after first period despite outshooting SAG 12-7;  Zach Senyshyn scored back-to-back goals for Hounds before Tim Gettinger notched his 1st-career hat trick as the Hounds skated to an early morning victory;  Hounds held 37-31 shot advantage
(Boxscore)

L 0-4, Nov. 11 @ SSM
After a scoreless opening period Cole Coskey put Saginaw on the board with just over three minutes to play in the second period;  then despite the fact the Hounds outshot the Spirit 15-10 in the third period, it would be the visitors notching three more goals (Mitchell Stephens, CJ Garcia and Jesse Barwell) to hand the Hounds their first shutout loss this year.
(Boxscore)

TWELVE AND COUNTING
Greyhounds Captain Blake Speers enter’s tonight with points in twelve consecutive games for the Hounds.

After being held pointless back on October 27th at Windsor, since his return to the club in the New Year the Sault Ste. Marie product has 7 goals and 9 assists, good for 16 points in 13 games played.

NHL PROSPECT – SAGINAW TO?
2nd-year Spirit forward Cole Coskey (3rd Rd, 2015) is the lone member of the club named in the NHL Mid-Term rankings for the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

The Zion, IL product is ranked 96th among North American skaters.

With Saginaw presently he is 6th among team scoring with 9 goals and 18 assists (27 points) in 49 games played.

THE BIG PICTURE
With 17 games remaining in the regular season schedule for both the Hounds and Spirit, they are amidst heated battles at opposite ends of the Western Conference.

The Greyhounds hold a two (2) point advantage over Windsor for the top spot in the conference while Saginaw finds themselves four (4) points behind Flint for the 8th and final playoff position.

TOP 3 IN SCORING
GREYHOUNDS
• Bobby MacIntyre (21-42-63);  5GWG
• Boris Katchouk (24-20-44);  5SHG
• Zach Senyshyn (30-13-43);  188 SOG;  30G

SPIRIT
• Hayden Hodgson (30-23-53);  176SOG;  14 PP Pts
• Filip Hronek (9-32-41);  4PPG
• Brady Gilmour (20-17-37);  4 First Goals

RADIO/TV
The Rock 101 pre-game show with Gerry Liscumb Jr. begins starting at 6:37 PM.  You can hear the action by tuning your FM dial to 101.3 or listen online HERE.

This game is not televised.

OHL BOXSCORE
For all the stats throughout the game check out the OHL boxscore HERE.

MUIO’S PREDICTOR CHALLENGE
Don’t forget to take part in tonight’s “Muio’s Predictor Challenge”.

Tweet us who you predict to score the Hounds first goal for a chance to win a $10 Muio’s Restaurant gift card.  #muios

Photo courtesy of James Egan Photography