Spirit power past Soo in 6-3 preseason win
Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. – Saginaw’s first bit of action in two weeks saw them defeat the Soo Greyhounds at GFL Memorial Gardens on Wednesday night to advance to a 2-1-0-1 preseason mark. Michael Misa enjoyed a four-point night (2G, 2A), Kristian Epperson scored a goal with two assists, and Nic Sima scored twice to seal the game.
The Soo grabbed an early 1-0 lead out of a net-front scramble. Erik Muxlow potted his first of the preseason at 2:11 of the first period.
Saginaw’s Michael Misa responded later in the first on a 5-on-3 powerplay. With Spencer Evans and Hunter Solomon in the Soo penalty box, James Guo and Kristian Epperson worked the puck to Misa at the left-wing circle. Misa drifted in and fired his third of the preseason past the glove of goaltender Reid Thomas for the 1-1 score.
Andrew Oke stopped seven of eight Soo shots in the first period. He would be replaced by Saginaw native Sammy DiBlasi at the start of the second.
Carson Andrew opened the second period scoring for the Soo, but Saginaw responded with three unanswered goals in a short span.
First, Kristian Epperson converted his third of the preseason on a pass from Michael Misa for the even score at 2-2.
Michael Misa found himself in the box for a check from behind a few minutes later, but it would be Saginaw who found the back of the net. Josh Glavin fed Jacob Cloutier for the shorthanded goal that gave the Spirit their first lead of the game.
Misa’s fingerprints were all over the second period, and he would cap it off with a backdoor tap in at 7:56 of the second period. Calem Mangone and Kristian Epperson added assists that sent the Spirit back to the dressing room with a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes.
Sam Bowness opened the third period scoring at the 1:58 mark. A long shoot-in popped off the boards and back into traffic, where Bowness fired it over Sammy DiBlasi’s glove to close the score to 4-3 Saginaw.
Nic Sima returned the favor at 10:10 on an off-speed shot that fooled Reid Thomas. Michael Misa kept the play alive along the far side boards before spinning a pass over to Sima for the 5-3 lead.
He and Liam Storch found themselves on a 2-on-0 just four minutes later. After smooth stickhandling and a backhand pass from Storch, Sima tapped in his second of the game at 15:59 for a comfortable 6-3 lead.
The Spirit hung onto that score at the end of 60 minutes for their second win of the preseason.
Saginaw’s final preseason game will come at home against the Soo Greyhounds on Sunday, September 22nd at 5:30. General admission tickets are on sale here.
