Willis Scores Hat-Trick As Saginaw Beats Sarnia 9-3
By Carl Chimenti
Joey Willis (Nashville Predators) scored three times as part of a four point night, leading the Saginaw Spirit (12-8-1-0) to a 9-3 win over the Sarnia Sting (7-11-1-3), Saturday night, at the Dow Event Center.
The loss was the Sting’s fifth straight, despite a come-back effort that fell short.
Sarnia at one time trailed 5-0, but rallied to score three, second period goals in a row to close the gap to 5-3 during a wild second period that featured a total of five goals, combined by both teams. After Sarnia sliced the deficit, Saginaw went on a run of four straight goals, including three in the third period to ice the win, their third straight over the Sting this season. Sarnia did pick up a point in the second meeting, a 5-4 shoot-out loss, at the Hive. Rookie Beckham Edwards continued his hot scoring with his third goal in two games since returning from the U-17 Challenge tournament last week. Mitch Young had a goal and an assist. Easton Wainwright, Tyson Doucette and Zach Filak, had single helpers for the Sting.
Willis added an assist for a four point night and was selected as the first star. He has scored 9 goals and 11 points in his last three games. Zayne Parekh (Calgary Flames) was the second star, with a goal and two assists and Jacob Cloutier, the third star, with a goal and an assist. Calem Mangone, Michael Misa, Sebastien Gervais and Dimian Zhilkin, had two assists each for the Spirit. Sarnia goaltender Evan Maillet had 35 saves, as the Spirit out-shot the Sting 44-34. It was the third straight game and eighth overall this season, that a Sting goaltender has faced 40 or more shots in a game.
Saginaw goaltender Kaleb Papineau made 31 saves. Sarnia went 1/12 and Saginaw 2/10 on the power-play. Saginaw opened up a 4-0 first period lead. It was the most goals that the Sarnia has allowed in one period this season. Jacob Cloutier scored at 2:06, Willis, at 4:38, Parekh made it 3-0 at 12:48 and Nic Sima, lit the lamp at 13:11. All four goals were scored at even strength.
The Sting went 0/1 on the only power-play in the period, and had 11 shots to Saginaw’s 15, on the shot clock. The second period was a penalty filled twenty minutes with Sarnia making a valiant come-back effort, scoring three times, as they out-shot Saginaw 17-13. The Spirit scored quickly at the 11 second mark on Willis’s second of the game. The Sting came roaring back with three straight goals to pull to with-in 5-3. It took Sarnia just 29 seconds after the Spirit goal to get on the scoreboard for their first goal. Edwards was set up in the slot after receiving a pass from Young at the 40 second mark. Wainwright was also awarded an assist on the play.
From there Saginaw fell into some penalty trouble. With the two teams skating four aside, Young was credited with the Sting’s second goal, after his pass was deflected into the net off of Misa’s skate. The goal which came at 2:33 was unassisted. Edwards scored his second of the game shortly after at 4:45, with the Sting on a two man-advantage. Doucette feed Edwards in the high slot and he made no mistake ripping the puck past Papineau. Along with Doucette, Filak also assisted on the scoring play. A late goal by PJ Forgione at 17:54 sent the Spirit to the second intermission leading 6-3. There was a total of 14 minor penalties called in the period, seven aside to each team.
