Haight, Dionicio power Saginaw past London in Game 3
Photo: Natalie Shaver/OHL Images
Saginaw, Mich. – The Saginaw Spirit defeated the London Knights, 6-2, in Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals on Monday night at the Dow Event Center. Hunter Haight scored two goals and an assist to hand London their first loss of the postseason. Rodwin Dionicio added three assists for the Spirit, and Michael Misa scored the game-winner. Michael Simpson started in net for London saving 26 of 31 shots before being replaced by Owen Willmore (6 SV/7 SH). At the other end, Nolan Lalonde stopped 18 of 20 shots on goal.
London’s Max McCue committed the first penalty of the game, a high sticking penalty just a minute in. Hunter Haight was the one to score on the power play for the first goal of the night. Josh Bloom passed to Joey Willis who then found Haight in the left circle. Haight wasted little time, smashing the puck over Simpson’s blocker into the net.
With 12 minutes left in the first, the London Knights scored to tie the game up, 1-1. Ruslan Gazizov was the goalscorer with Oliver Bonk and Jared Woolley receiving assists.
With seven minutes left in the first, Hunter Haight was sent to the penalty box for high sticking, giving London their first power play opportunity of the night. No goals were scored while Haight was out, however, soon after his return the Knights managed to find the back of the net. Landon Sim tipped home a shot from Isaiah George to give London the 2-1 lead.
Ruslan Gazizov was sent to the penalty box for slashing with less than two minutes left in the first. This penalty would roll over into the second period.
AFTER 1: SAG 1 – 2 LDN (Total Shots: 15 – 9)
Five minutes into the second period, Saginaw tied the game up at two apiece. After collecting a pass from Rodwin Dionicio, Hunter Haight skated up ice along the left wall, passing behind him to Owen Beck. Beck was only a few feet from the blueline when he fired a shot right over Simpson’s shoulder and into the net.
The Saginaw Spirit regained the lead with Michael Misa scoring a goal with nine minutes left in the first. Captain Zayne Parekh fired a shot from the left point after a feed from his captain. The puck glanced off Misa’s right skate and into the net for the 3-2 lead.
With 1:27 to go in the second, the Saginaw Spirit extended their lead to make the score 4-2 in their favor. Zayne Parekh passed to Braden Haché who fired another shot on goal all the way from the blueline. However, Hunter Haight was there to tip the puck between Simpson’s legs for the final goal of the period.
AFTER 2: SAG 4 – 2 LDN (2nd Period Shots: 13 – 3 Total Shots: 28 – 12)
At 3:35, Calem Mangone scored a goal for the Spirit to further extend their lead to 5-2. After receiving a long pass from Rodwin Dionicio in Saginaw’s zone, Magone took off up ice all by himself, firing from between the inner hash marks over Simpson’s shoulder. Jorian Donovan would pick up an assist, and Owen Willmore would take over for Simpson in net.
Saginaw wasn’t done yet as Alex Christopoulos scored another goal for the Spirit at 14:19. With a scrum in front of London’s net, Willmore attempted to block a shot but the puck bounced off of him to Christopoulos who then flipped it in behind him. Former Windsor teammate Rodwin Dionicio received an assist alongside Sebastien Gervais, his first of the postseason.
FINAL: SAG 6 – 2 LDN (3rd Period Shots: 10 – 8 Total Shots: 38 – 20)
Powerplay: SAG 0/3, LDN 1/4
Goaltenders: SAG: Nolan Lalonde (18 Saves / 20 Shots, W) – LDN: Michael Simpson (30 Saves / 31 Shots, L) and Owen Willmore (6 Saves / 7 Shots, L)
The Spirit have battled back into a 2-1 series. Game 4 will be Wednesday night from the Dow Event Center with puck drop at 7:05pm.
