Three points from Zhilkin not enough against third period Guelph push
Photo: Steven Frank Imagery
Saginaw, Mich. – The Saginaw Spirit went back and forth with the Guelph Storm in their fourth and final meeting of the season on Sunday night. Dima Zhilkin and Nikita Klepov each had a three-point night for the Spirit, but it would be Tyler Hopkins’ four goals and an assist that took home the win for the Storm, 8-5.
Layne Gallacher set up Simon Belohorsky to open the scoring, sending the puck down low for an easy tip-in for the Storm. Eric Frossard picked up the secondary assist as Guelph led 1-0 at 5:40.
Dima Zhilkin responded for the Spirit 55 seconds later after Gensen Geldart found him in the slot. Levi Harper picked up the secondary assist at 6:35 to tie it at 1-1 early in the first.
The Storm restored the one-goal lead 23 seconds later after Tyler Hopkins finished off a passing play for his 18th of the season. Illia Shybinskyi and Jaakko Wycisk picked up the assists as the Storm led 2-1 at 6:58.
Nikita Klepov tied the game at two after he cleaned up a loose puck in the slot and sent it top shelf for his 33rd goal of the season. Carson Harmer picked up the lone assist on as the teams stood tied at 12:37.
After 1: SAG 2 – 2 GUE (Total Shots: 6 – 12)
The Saginaw Spirit took the lead for the first time of the game after Jacob Cloutier took advantage of a cross-crease pass for his 15th of the season. Nikita Klepov sent it across for the primary assist, and Egor Barabanov picked up the secondary at 2:07 to make it 3-2 on the powerplay.
Quinn Beauchesne tied it at 3-3 for the Storm after he fired in a snap shot from the left circle glove side. Tyler Hopkins and Illia Shybinski picked up their second points of the game with the assists, as the Storm and Spirit stood tied at three at 3:23.
Egor Barabanov took back the lead for the Spirit on the power play after he sent a puck in through the five-hole for his 26th of the season. Dima Zhilkin and Nikita Klepov picked up the assists to take the 4-3 lead at 5:55.
The Storm responded at 9:19 after Hunter McKenzie fired in a shot from the right circle for his 10th of the season. McKenzie scored unassisted for the Storm to tie it at 4-4.
Dima Zhilkin restored the lead for Saginaw after he fired a shot blocker side off the rush for his 32nd of the season. Brody Pepoy and Graydon Jones picked up the assists as the Spirit led 5-4 at 13:13.
Zachary Jovanovski was replaced by Colin Ellsworth in the Guelph crease after the goal.
After 2: SAG 5 – 4 GUE (2nd period shots: 8 – 13 Total shots: 14 – 25)
Thirty-nine seconds into the third, Tyler Hopkins scored his second of the game on a breakaway to tie it. Illia Shybinskyi and Quinn Beauchesne picked up the assists to make it 5-5.
Tyler Hopkins completed the hat trick to take the lead for the Storm during a five-on-three, firing in a rocket from the right circle. Jaakko Wycisk and Ethan Miedema picked up the assists as the Storm led 6-5 at 2:55.
Noah Jenkin scored on the empty net, assisted by Colin Ellsworth, for his sixth of the season at 18:09 to extend the lead to seven for the Storm.
Tyler Hopkins scored his fourth of the game on the empty net to ice it for the Storm, making it 8-5 at 19:32.
Final: SAG 5 – 8 GUE (3rd period shots 3 – 15, Total shots 17 – 40)
Powerplays: SAG 2/4 GUE 1/6
Goaltenders: SAG: Kaleb Papineau (32 saves, 38 shots) GUE: Zachary Jovanovski (7 saves, 12 shots), Colin Ellsworth (5 saves, 5 shots)
The Spirit play next on February 26th, against the Ottawa 67’s at the Dow Event Center. Puck drop is at 7:05pm.
