Greyhounds, Spirit take second round clash to Game 7 tonight
The Western Conference Semi-Final clash between the Saginaw Spirit and Soo Greyhounds will come down to Game 7 tonight at the Dow Event Center.
In a riveting back-and-fourth showdown spanning the entire series, the Greyhounds blanked the Spirit for the second time, securing a crucial Game 6 win on Sunday. Their dominant performance resulted in a commanding 5-0 victory, fuelled by Jack Beck’s three-point contribution.
The series has been a showcase of stellar goaltending abilities, with both teams securing at least one shutout thus far. OHL Goaltender of the Week Charlie Schenkel has emerged as the defensive backbone for the Greyhounds, posting impressive performances in both Game 4 and Game 6. Meanwhile, Andrew Oke delivered a flawless shutout performance in Game 1, however his Game 2 injury cast a shadow of uncertainty over the remainder of the series, prompting Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Nolan Lalonde to step up for Saginaw.
Breaking the trend of eight regular-season meetings where neither team secured a home win against the other, Saginaw defied the odds with a series opening victory at the Dow, putting an end to the deadlock.
Tonight marks the third Game 7 in Spirit franchise history after enduring a Western Conference Championship Series Game 7 heartbreaker of their own in 2019, followed by a 4-3 first round series win over the in-state rival Flint Firebirds last spring.
The Soo’s most recent seven-game series was back in 2018, defeating the Kitchener Rangers in double overtime to advance to the OHL Championship Series on a goal by Jack Kopacka.
Tonight’s matchup marks the 15th meeting of the season between Saginaw and Sault Ste. Marie, with the previous 14 encounters evenly split down the middle.
Both teams will be without key performers as Saginaw misses star defender Zayne Parekh while Sault Ste. Marie will be without Canadian National Junior Team forward Owen Allard.
See tonight’s matchup when the puck drops at 7:05pm on OHL Live.
"That experience from last year, we're going to draw off that."@SpiritHockey General Manager Dave Drinkill cited his club's success in a Game 7 matchup with the Flint Firebirds last spring as they prepare for the Soo Greyhounds on Tuesday 🎥#OHLPlayoffs | #SAGvsSOO pic.twitter.com/RzlKGUyT7M
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) April 22, 2024