GAME PREVIEW: Petes Look to Start Week With Win Over Spirit
The Peterborough Petes are coming off of a busy week which saw them play three games in two and a half days over the weekend. On Friday night, the Petes were in Brantford to face the CHL’s #3 ranked Bulldogs, dropping a close contest by a score of 4-3. They would then bounce back on Saturday night, claiming a 1-0 win at home over the Niagara IceDogs. After two action packed nights, they found themselves in Ottawa on Sunday afternoon, where they fell 5-2 to the OHL’s first place team.
Tonight, the Petes host the Saginaw Spirit at the Peterborough Memorial Centre for the only time this year. It’s the first meeting between the two teams in 2025-26 after Peterborough swept last year’s season series 2-0. This is Peterborough’s only home game this week, as they hit the road this weekend to take on Sarnia and London. The Petes haven’t lost at the PMC since December 11 against the Windsor Spitfires, having won their last 6 on home ice.
The Petes player to watch tonight will be former Spirit first round pick Aiden Young. Young played 27 games for the Spirit in 2023-24, before being acquired by the Petes in a trade for Montreal Canadiens forward Owen Beck. Young has a goal and an assist in three career games against the Spirit, and will look to be the difference maker in tonight’s game. Winnipeg Jets prospect Kieron Walton continues to be a force for the Maroon and White. Walton scored again on Sunday in Ottawa, giving him goals in all four games since being acquired from the Sudbury Wolves.
The Spirit are a very strong offensive team and are led by two newcomers in Nikita Klepov and Egor Barabanov. Klepov currently leads the Spirit in points with 56, while Barabanov is not far behind with 53. Both players featured in the 2026 Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game last week at the PMC, where Klepov was named Team West’s Player of the Game with two goals and an assist. Also playing in the Top Prospects game for Saginaw was goaltender Stepan Shurygin, who has been solid for the Spirit between the pipes this season.
Puck drop for tonight’s game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. at the Peterborough Memorial Centre. Tickets are still available by clicking here, calling (705) 743-3561, or by visiting the Grant Thornton Box Office during business hours. The game will also be broadcast live on YourTV Peterborough, Freq 90.5., and Flo Hockey.
