Bate scores first OHL goal, Spirit fall to Firebirds in home opener Saturday
Photo: Eric Young
Saginaw, Mich. – The Saginaw Spirit welcomed the Flint Firebirds in front of a sellout crowd for their home opener on Saturday night. Flint’s Xavier Tessier led the scoring with three goals, securing the Firebirds’ first goal and equalizing twice. A breakaway goal by Dima Zhilkin, a debut goal by Drew Bate, and two points by Braidy Wassilyn would round up Saginaw’s offense for the game.
The Firebirds scored just eight seconds into the first period. Xavier Tessier took advantage of the unattended puck that bounced off the back wall and shot it close-range in the back of Egor Sokolov’s net. Brady Smith and Rylan Fellinger assisted Tessier’s goal to make it 1-0.
Saginaw tied the game quickly after Flint’s opener. Braidy Wassilyn took a shot on goal which was deflected to the left-hand side where Brody Pepoy only had to slide it past Mason Courville. Dima Zhilkin got the secondary assist and score stood at 1-1 at 2:45.
Dima Zhilkin gave the Spirit their first lead of the night later in the period. The Firebirds’ defense lost the puck in a vulnerable position, allowing Zhilkin a breakaway. By himself against the goaltender, the Spirit captain slid it into the back of the net for a 2-1 lead at 8:33.
Xavier Tessier scored his second of the night for Flint to tie the game 2-2 just after the mid-point of the first period. Tessier took the puck from Spirit defenseman Levi Harper and jammed the puck close-range past Sokolov.
Darian Anderson got Flint’s lead back through a powerplay goal at 13:43. The right winger finished a broken play after a shot from Nick Bogas settled at his feet. Luka Graziano got the secondary assist as the Firebirds took a 3-2 lead.
Drew Bate got his first goal for Saginaw to tie the game 3-3. The Spirit’s first-round pick in 2026 received a pass from the left wing by Alex Milojevic and converted a snapshot from distance into Saginaw’s equalizer at 17:23.
Braidy Wassilyn put the Spirit back into the lead near the end of the first. Dima Zhilkin and Levi Harper got the assists for Wassilyn’s powerplay goal, scored short-sided from the right circle. Saginaw now had the lead 4-3.
After 1: FLNT 3 – 4 SAG (Total shots: 7 – 11)
Flint started the second period with a game-tying goal. Xavier Tessier got his hat trick after driving the net and shooting just above Sokolov’s blocker to even the score at 4-4. Tessier’s third of the night was assisted by James Paul and Cooper Williams at 3:23
Brady Smith gave the Firebirds the lead again after picking up a rebound off the pads of Sokolov. Smith’s powerplay goal was assisted by Cooper Williams and Bryson Morgan. With six minutes left of the second period, Flint led 5-4.
After 2: FLNT 5 – 4 SAG (2nd period shots: 11 – 6, Total shots: 18 – 17)
A goalless third period kept the score at 5-4, meaning Flint took the win. Firebirds goaltender Mason Courville made nine saves while Spirit goaltender Egor Sokolov stopped eight in the final frame.
Final: FLNT 5 – 4 SAG (3rd period shots: 8 – 9, Total shots: 26 – 26)
Powerplays: FLNT 2/6 SAG 3/5
Goaltenders: FLNT: Mason Courville (22 saves, 26 shots, W) SAG: Egor Sokolov (21 saves, 26 shots, L)
Saginaw’s next game will be back home against the Niagara IceDogs on Friday, September 25th, at the Dow Event Center. Puck drop is at 7:05pm.
