GAME PREVIEW: Spirit at Flint Firebirds – 3/22/25

Flint, Mich. -​​ The Saginaw Spirit (37-26-2-1) visit the Flint Firebirds (28-33-2-3) on Saturday, March 22nd at the Dort Financial Center.

Tonight’s Game:

Puck drop is at 7:00 PM.

The Spirit can claim the Coors Light I-75 Divide Cup with a win, currently holding a 4-2-0-0 record in the eight-game season series.

Broadcast:

Radio: 100.5 WSGW, WSGW.com

TV: OHL Live, CHL App, OHL Action Pak

Last Game:

Saginaw last played on Friday, March 21st where they fell to the Soo Greyhounds 7-4. Calem Mangone had two goals and an assist while Michael Misa scored his 60th goal of the season.

Flint last played on Friday, March 21st where they fell to the Sarnia Sting 5-2. Artem Frolov scored a goal and grabbed an assist in the loss.

This Season:

Saginaw and Flint have faced off six times this year, with the Spirit winning four out six matchups. Calem Mangone and Michael Misa have performed well against Flint this season. Mangone has four goals and two assists while Michael Misa tallied three goals and six assists. For Flint, Christopher Thibodeau and Connor Clattenburg have made an impact in the series. Clattenburg has scored four goals and picked up four assists and Thibodeau has six goals and two assists against Saginaw.

These teams last met on March 5th where the Spirit came out on top, 6-3, at the Dort Financial Center. Michael Misa and Carson Harmer started the scoring early as they found the back of the net within 3:20 of the first period. Flint responded late in the period as Christopher Thibodeau buried his first of the game, sending the game into the second period with Saginaw up 2-1. Igor Chernyshov opened the scoring in the second period, and Thibodeau answered with his second of the game to get Flint back within one. The Spirit added one more in the period to send the game to the third period with Saginaw up 4-2. The Firebirds cut the lead to one thanks to a goal from Matthew Mania, but Igor Chernyshov sealed the game with an empty net goal for his second of the game.

Players to Watch:

Igor Chernyshov had a four-point performance in the last meeting with Flint, one of six such performances in his brief OHL career. In 21 games this season, Chernyshov has 18 goals and 31 assists for 49 points. With a goal against the Soo on Friday, Michael Misa became just the fifth OHL player to hit 60 goals in his NHL Draft year. MIsa leads the OHL in points with 128 (60G-68A) on the season. Calem Mangone is coming off a two-goal performance against the Greyhounds on Friday. Against the Firebirds, this season Mangone has four goals and two assists.

Christopher Thibodeau scored two goals against the Spirit in the last matchup. This season, Thibodeau has 20 goals and 28 assists in 56 games. Sam McCue leads the Firebirds in points (53) and goals (34) this season. Since being acquired from Owen Sound, McCue has 16 goals and six assists in 18 games with the Firebirds. Flint will celebrate its overage players on Saturday night: Blake Smith, Nolan Collins, and Evan Konyen.

Saginaw’s NHL Drafted Players:

Zayne Parekh (CGY)

Igor Chernyshov (SJ)

Flint’s NHL Drafted Players:

Sam McCue (TOR)

Kaden Pitre (TB)

Nathan Day (EDM)

Connor Clattenburg (EDM)

Nathan Aspinall (NYR)

Matthew Mania (LA)

Nolan Collins (PIT)