GAME PREVIEW: Spirit vs. North Bay Battalion – 2/20/25
Saginaw, Mich. - The Saginaw Spirit (31-21-1-1) host the North Bay Battalion (21-27-4-0) on Thursday, February 20th at the Dow Event Center.
Tonight’s Game:
Puck drop is at 7:05 PM.
The Spirit Celebrate Northwood University Esports night, presented by Block House. Gaming consoles will be set up in the Budweiser Red Room prior to puck drop, giving fans an opportunity to game with Esports pros.
Additionally, Spirit partner and Stanley Cup Champion Chris Osgood will be signing autographs prior to the game. Autographs with Osgood are presented by Garber Chevrolet of Saginaw.
Broadcast:
Radio: 100.5 WSGW, WSGW.com
TV: OHL Live, CHL App, OHL Action Pak
Last Game:
Saginaw last played on Monday, February 17th where they defeated the Sarnia Sting 7-3. Michael Misa scored two goals and Igor Chernyshov scored a goal and picked up three assists. The win came as Saginaw’s fifth straight, and eighth victory in nine games this February.
North Bay last played on Monday, February 17th where they defeated the Ottawa 67’s 3-2. Lirim Amidovski scored the game-winning goal to secure North Bay’s third straight win.
Last Season:
Saginaw and North Bay faced off twice last season and split the season series 1-1. The Spirit came out on top in the first matchup by a score of 5-3 on February 18th. Zayne Parekh picked up a goal and an assist in the win. The next game saw the Battalion win 6-3 with James Guo and Sebastien Gervais both scoring despite the loss on home ice.
Players to Watch:
Michael Misa extended his point streak to 20 games after scoring two goals against Sarnia on Monday. During that span Misa has totaled 22 goals and 25 assists (47 PTS). The Spirit captain leads the CHL with 108 points and is within striking distance of Saginaw’s single-season record of 111, set by Cole Perfetti in 2020. Igor Chernyshov registered yet another four-point game in Sarnia on Monday. In just nine games with the Spirit, Chernyshov has recorded 27 points (12G-15A), including eight multi-point games. Spirit goaltender Andrew Oke was named the CHL’s protector of the week after a .922 SV% in his last three games. Oke has won five straight starts and tied Evan Cormier for second on the franchise’s wins list at 77.
Ducks prospect and North Bay captain Ethan Procyszyn is currently leading the Battalion in points this season with 51. In 52 games, Procyszyn has 29 goals and 22 assists. Procyszyn recently had a five-game scoring streak snapped in Ottawa on February 17th. Goaltender Mike McIvor has been a standout in net for North Bay this season, ranking 22nd on NHL Central Scouting’s list of North American goaltenders. In 33 games, McIvor has a .904 save percentage and a 2.97 goals against average. Jacob LeBlanc is leading his team in assists this season with 35. In 52 games, LeBlanc has totaled 42 points.
Saginaw’s NHL Drafted Players:
Zayne Parekh (CGY)
Igor Chernyshov (SJ)
North Bay’s NHL Drafted Players:
Ethan Procyszyn (ANA)
