Game Preview: Storm, Spirit meet for final match-up
After falling 4-1 to the Mississauga Steelheads this past Wednesday, the Guelph Storm will be pushing for a rebound effort come Friday night hosting the Saginaw Spirit.
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Catch the Storm take on the Spirit at the Sleeman Centre – get your tickets HERE.
Friday night at the Sleeman Centre features the last meeting between the Guelph Storm (10-32-4-2) and the Saginaw Spirit (20-25-3-2). Heading into the match-up, the Spirit hold a 2-1 season series lead having previously won 8-5 on Oct. 3 in Saginaw and 4-1 on Dec. 11 in Guelph, while the Storm took the last contest between the teams, earning a 4-2 victory in Saginaw this past Sunday.
Snapping a five-game skid with a win over the Spirit on Jan. 31, the Storm last visited the Mississauga Steelheads this past Wednesday. Falling 4-1 in the contest, the Storm will be readying for a rebound effort come Friday, hosting the Spirit before visiting the Owen Sound Attack on Saturday night.
The Spirit, on the other hand, are on a bit of a skid themselves. After downing the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds 5-3 back on Jan. 29, Saginaw has lost the last three games played, including the last contest on Feb. 3 against the Flint Firebirds in a 4-3 overtime result. The Spirit will be pushing to end the skid upon visiting the Sleeman Centre Friday, with Sunday’s loss to the Storm likely fresh in their minds.
The puck is slated to drop at 7:30pm.
Player Watch
- Guelph Storm
Rookie Nic Sicoly has three goals through 45 games this campaign – all three of those goals have come against the Spirit. Notably, all three have also been scored in Saginaw, however, the freshman forward will likely be pushing to get back on the score sheet come Friday night. Overall, the five-foot-nine, 165-pound winger has six points this season, putting the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native third among Storm rookies in production.
Going pointless for four games after scoring eight goals in an eight game stretch in the month of January, the sophomore Givani Smith found his way back onto the score sheet this past Wednesday, scoring the lone goal for Guelph in their last game against the Mississauga Steelheads. The Brampton, Ontario native is now only one removed from the 20-goal mark, currently with 30 points through 46 games this season.
Looking back to between the pipes, there isn’t much of a question mark with Michael Giugovaz standing there. The overage goaltender is recently coming off being named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Month for January, compiling a 6-1-1-2 record through 10 starts in the month while recording a 2.34 goals-against-average and a .936 save percentage in the stretch. In 18 games with the Storm this season, the Brampton, Ontario native has a 7-5-2-2 record with one shutout, while posting a 2.75 goals-against-average, and a .923 save percentage.
- Saginaw Spirit
Scoring the Spirit’s only goal in the last meeting between these teams was Saginaw leading scorer Artem Artemov. The six-foot, 205-pound winger has 44 points (16 goals, 28 assists) through 49 games this season, surpassing his rookie total of 32 set in 68 games last campaign. The Russia native has two points (one goal, one assist) in his last two games, while recording four points (one goal, three assists) in his last four games.
Next up for the Spirit is overager Connor Brown, sitting second on the roster in production with 36 points (19 goals, 17 assists) in 50 games played this season. The Georgetown, Ontario native is four points back of matching his career-high of 40 points (19 goals, 21 assists) previously set in 68 games last campaign.
Another Georgetown, Ontario native rounds out the top three for the Spirit as Matthew Kreis is third on the team in points with 30, tallying 14 goals and 16 assists in 48 games this season. The former Barrie Colt is having a career-year with the Spirit, surpassing his previous high of 19 points previously set as a rookie in 57 games.
Last Match-Up: Guelph 4 @ Saginaw 2 (Jan. 31)
GAME NOTES
- On Friday, the Storm and the Spirit will meet for the fourth and final time this season.
- The Spirit hold a 2-1 season series lead, taking an 8-5 win on Oct. 3 in Saginaw and 4-1 victory on Dec. 11 in Guelph, while the Storm took the last match-up in Saginaw by a 4-2 score.
- Rookie Nic Sicoly has three goals on the season with all three coming against the Saginaw Spirit.
- It’s back-to-back games this weekend for the Storm, visiting the Owen Sound Attack on Saturday following Friday’s match-up with the Spirit.
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Your Storm in the Community…
- February 16: Served by the Storm – Get served by your favourite Storm players and enjoy a delicious meal at Bobby O’Brien’s and Opus! Click here to reserve your spot now!
- February 21: Guelph Giants and Guelph Storm Annual Benefit Game – Watch your Guelph Storm battle the Guelph Giants at the Sleeman Centre in the sixth annual match-up between the teams! Complimentary admission with monetary donations benefiting special needs hockey in Guelph accepted throughout the event.
