Spirit host Storm on Corteva Agriscience Family Night
Saginaw, Mich. – The Saginaw Spirit (25-12-0-1) return home to the Dow Event Center to take on the Guelph Storm (23-14-2-1) on Saturday, January 13th.
Tonight’s Game:
Puck drop is at 7:00pm
As part of Corteva Agriscience Family Night, the Spirit are holding a food drive Saturday night. Fans who bring five or more canned items will have their names automatically entered to win a signed Spirit jersey.
Broadcast:
Television: CHL TV, CHL App, OHL Action Pak Ch. 469
Radio: 100.5 FM WSGW, WSGW.com
Last Game:
The Saginaw Spirit took on the London Knights on Friday, January 12th at Budweiser Gardens. Calem Mangone scored the lone Spirit goal in the second period with assists to Hunter Haight and Zayne Parkeh. Andrew Oke started in net for the Spirit making 29 saves on 35 shots with Michael Simpson starting for the Knights, making 30 saves on 31 shots.
The Guelph Storm took on the Soo Greyhounds at the GFL Memorial Gardens on Friday, January 12th. The first period ended in a tie with Marco Mignosa scoring a short handed goal for the Greyhounds with Guelph’s Vilmer Alriksson soon evening the score. Gavin Hayes broke the tie, giving the Soo a 2-1 lead but Brody Crane responded, scoring three minutes later, tying the game again. Brothers Travis and Gavin Hayes scored the remaining two goals to give the Soo a 4-2 win over the Storm. Brayden Gillespie started in net for the Storm, making 28 saves on 31 shots while Greyhounds’ Charlie Schenkel made 31 saves on 33 shots.
Last Season:
This is the first time this season the Saginaw Spirit have faced Guelph, but the Spirit took last year’s season series 3-1-0-0. The last matchup between these two teams ended with the Storm defeating the Spirit 7-3 on March 25th at the Dow Event Center. Joey Willis’s goal and a pair of Matyas Sapovaliv tallies weren’t enough for Saginaw that night and the Storm snapped a three-game skid against the Spirit.
Players to Watch:
Zayne Parekh leads the Spirit in points (56), amassing 18 goals and 38 assists. Parekh is first in goals among all OHL Defensemen and second in points and assists. Michael Misa leads the Spirit in goals (19) including seven power play goals. He is followed by Parekh and newly acquired center Owen Beck with 18 goals. Andrew Oke leads in all major goaltending categories for the Spirit, including a 3.11 goals against average (GAA), a .886 save percentage (SV%), and 16 wins.
Saginaw will remain without Ethan Hay, who is serving the last of his two-game suspension.
Jett Luchanko leads the Storm in points (46) and assists (33) with an additional 13 goals. 21 of Jett Luchanko’s assists are power play assists, which is first in the OHL. Braeden Bowman leads the team in goals (22) with nine coming on the power play. Brayden Gillespie leads the Storm in all major goaltending categories with one shutout, 2.75 GAA, second in the OHL, 0.907 SV%, third in the OHL, and 18 wins, tied for third in the OHL.
Saginaw currently has ten players tied to the National Hockey League (NHL), including Joey Willis (Nashville), Josh Bloom (Vancouver), Matyas Sapovaliv (Vegas), Hunter Haight (Minnesota), Ethan Hay (Tampa Bay), Owen Beck (Montreal), Jorian Donovan (Ottawa), Braden Haché (Florida), Rodwin Dionicio (Anaheim) and Nolan Lalonde (Columbus, FA).
Guelph has six NHL draftees including Jake Karabela (Washington), Matthew Poitras (Boston), Vilmer Alriksson (Vancouver), Michael Buchinger (St. Louis), Cam Allen (Washington) and Chandler Romeo (Ottawa).
