Saginaw hosts first-ever Game 7 as Storm seeks another comeback

 

WESTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

(4) Guelph Storm at (2) Saginaw Spirit – Series tied 3-3

The Guelph Storm have spun quite a playoff tale.

After becoming the fifth team in OHL history to come all the way back from a 3-0 series deficit and send the London Knights packing, the Storm put themselves in another precarious position down 3-1 to the Saginaw Spirit in the Western Conference Championship Series.

#OHLPlayoffs West Final:@Storm_City back from the brink with 5-1 win to force Game 7.

RECAP ???? https://t.co/a1wwLkhZTu #SAGvsGUE pic.twitter.com/SpW10JlCwv

— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) April 29, 2019

After a disheartening 4-1 loss on home ice in Game 4, the Storm has responded with 4-0 and 5-1 wins over the Spirit with an Anthony Popovich shutout streak of 125:40 spread out over three games.

Saginaw gets a boost tonight though as overage defender Justin Murray comes off a four-game suspension, returning to the lineup for the first-ever Game 7 in Spirit franchise history.

“We’ll have the sheriff back in town,” said Spirit head coach Chris Lazary following the Game 6 loss. “He’s an elite player. He’s arguably the underrated MVP of our team and he’s going to play 40 minutes tomorrow. He’s fresh, foaming at the mouth to get in and we’re just going to set him free.”

Murray joins a Spirit blue line that has suffered its share of bumps and bruises as Mason Millman went down with an injury in Game 3 and hasn’t returned.

Up front the Spirit will need contributions from big names Owen Tippett and Ryan McLeod who have been held pointless in each of the past two games. Tippett leads the team in playoff scoring with 22 points (11-11–22) over 16 games.

He’s Back. pic.twitter.com/hEmtXdAVcN

— Xy- Saginaw Spirit (@SpiritHockey) April 29, 2019

Sixteen-year-old goaltender Tristan Lennox will make his fifth straight start as Ivan Prosvetov serves the final game of a five-game sentence handed out as a result of actions in Game 2 of the series. Saginaw’s second round pick last spring, Lennox has done his part to give the Spirit a fighting chance, posting a 3.34 goals-against average and .905 save percentage while winning a pair of games.

The Storm has outscored the Spirit 9-1 over the last two games, outshooting Saginaw 68-39. After an evenly matched start to the series in the faceoff circle, Guelph has also dominated possession off the draw in Games 5 and 6, winning 63% of those matchups.

OHL Playoff scoring leader Nick Suzuki (12-18–30) is in the midst of an 11-game point streak while Edmonton Oilers blue line prospect Dmitri Samorukov has elevated his game with eight points (4-4–8) over his last four outings including a hat-trick in Game 5.

“We’re going to be leaning on guys like Nick who have been in this position on a number of occasions with us and other organizations,” said Storm head coach George Burnett of his team’s second straight Game 7 scenario. “Other guys with experience like MacKenzie Entwistle and Jack Hanley will help us pull from our experiences and there’s no question that will help.

Wow moment by @nsuzuki_37 ????@CanadiensMTL prospect goes spin-o-rama backhand roof on the one-on-one in #BestOfOHL style securing a Game 7 for @Storm_City.#OHLPlayoffs | #SAGvsGUE pic.twitter.com/8iUx48FrMv

— OntarioHockeyLeague (@OHLHockey) April 28, 2019

“Energy has a lot to do with it, puck management has a lot to do with a Game 7 and we just have to make sure we’re focused on the right things,” Burnett continued. “We have been in the last couple games but we still have to have supreme discipline. We can’t allow their power play to be a factor and we have to make sure we have the puck a lot more than our opposition.”

The Storm look to follow the example of the 2018 Soo Greyhounds in reaching the OHL Championship Series having won two different Game 7’s to get there. The last OHL Champion to do so was the 2004 Guelph Storm.

Be sure to see all of tonight’s action live from the Dow Event Center in Saginaw, Mich. at OHLLIVE.com.

The Series so far:
GAME 1: GUE 2 @ SAG 7 (Game Centre)
GAME 2: GUE 3 @ SAG 4 OT (Game Centre)
GAME 3: SAG 2 @ GUE 5 (Game Centre)
GAME 4: SAG 4 @ GUE 1 (Game Centre)
GAME 5: GUE 4 @ SAG 0 (Game Centre)
GAME 6: SAG 1 @ GUE 5 (Game Centre)

Saginaw Game 7 history:
Tonight mark’s Saginaw’s first-ever Game 7 matchup

Guelph Game 7 history (3-2):
2019 – defeated London in second round / 2004 – defeated London in Western Conference Final / 2004 – defeated Owen Sound in first round / 1997 – lost to Ottawa in semi-final / 1996 – lost to Peterborough in OHL Final