Wednesday Highlights: Spirit come to play on Valentine’s Day

 

SAGINAW 6 – SAULT STE. MARIE 5 – SO
The Saginaw Spirit have been in a lot of close games lately, but came out on top in their sixth consecutive one-goal contest with a win over the CHL’s first-ranked Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. 2018 NHL Draft prospect Blade Jenkins (16) had a goal and the shootout winner as the Spirit edged the visiting Greyhounds 6-5. The Spirit led 4-2 early in the third before the Greyhounds scored three straight goals to take a 5-4 edge. DJ Busdeker (9) tied things at five with 3:48 left in regulation to force overtime and a shootout. Kyle Bollers (8), Max Grondin (10) and Hayden Davis (4) provided other Saginaw goals while Jenkins and Cole Coskey scored shootout markers. The loss marks the first time the Hounds have tasted defeat this season when they’ve scored four goals or more. Taylor Raddysh (27), Rasmus Sandin (7), Boris Katchouk (36), Hayden Verbeek (22) and Morgan Frost (33) all found the twine for Sault Ste. Marie as they outshot Saginaw 42-25. The win is Saginaw’s first in six tries against the Greyhounds this season. They’ll meet two more times in the regular season.
GAME CENTRE

 

OTTAWA 4 – KINGSTON 3
Tye Felhaber (21, 22, 23) scored a natural hat-trick in the third period, helping the Ottawa 67’s keep cruising with a 4-3 comeback win over the visiting Kingston Frontenacs. Ottawa’s fifth straight win handed Kingston its first regulation loss in nine games as the 67’s rallied back from a 3-0 deficit in a second straight game to keep climbing in the East Division. Felhaber’s third OHL hat-trick was accompanied by a goal from Mitchell Hoelscher (7) while Travis Barron picked up a pair of assists. Olivier Tremblay made 33 saves as Ottawa was outshot 36-32. Dallas Stars prospect Jason Robertson (35, 36) scored twice for the Frontenacs while captain Ted Nichol (5) also lit the lamp and blueliner Jakob Brahaney had two assists. The Fronts fall to 29-17-5-3 while Ottawa climbs into a fifth place tie with North Bay, sporting a 24-21-5-3 record on the season.
GAME CENTRE

 

BARRIE 8 – FLINT 5
The Barrie Colts and host Flint Firebirds combined for 13 goals in a back-and-forth battle that saw the Colts come out on top by a score of 8-5. Flint climbed ahead 2-0 early before the Colt scored five in the second to lead 5-3 after 40 minutes. The Firebirds drew back even at five inside the opening two minutes of the third before goals from Dmitry Sokolov (35), Aaron Luchuk (41) and Tyler Tucker (2, 3) sealed the deal as the Colts got the last laugh. 12 of the 13 goals scored in the game were at even strength as Luchuk finished with a goal and two assists for the Colts while blueliner TJ Fergus had three helpers. Other Barrie goal scorers included Ben Hawerchuk (11), Lucas Chiodo (20), Joey Keane (8) and Jaden Peca (13). The Firebirds managed five goals on 28 shots as Jack Wismer (6), Fedor Gordeev (6), Connor Roberts (15), Max Kislinger (8) and C.J. Clarke (13) found the back of the net. Barrie outshot Flint 38-28 as the Colts stretched their lead to seven points atop the Central Division with a 32-19-2-1 record. The Firebirds have lost five straight, falling to 16-33-3-2.
GAME CENTRE

 

OWEN SOUND 4 – LONDON 2
Vegas Golden Knights prospect Nick Suzuki (28, 29) scored twice to lead the Owen Sound Attack over the visiting London Knights 4-2. Maksim Sushko (26) and Ethan Szypula (13) also scored while Olivier Lafreniere made 26 saves. The Attack win for the seventh time in eight games, pulling into a fifth place tie with Guelph in the Western Conference. Alec Regula (6) and Liam Foudy (16) scored for the Knights as they were outshot 41-28. London falls to 29-21-2-2 and sits three points up on both Guelph and Owen Sound in the standings.
GAME CENTRE

 

KITCHENER 3 – MISSISSAUGA 2
Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Kole Sherwood (23, 24) scored first period goals less than three minutes apart, putting the Kitchener Rangers permanently ahead of the Mississauga Steelheads in a 3-2 road win. The Valentine’s Day victory came before 5,482 students in a School Day clash at the Hershey Centre. Ottawa Senators prospect Logan Brown (17) had a goal and an assist while Joseph Garreffa picked up two helpers. Mario Culina stopped 27 of the 29 shots that came his way to improve to 10-0-0-0 as a member of the Rangers. Albert Michnac (21) and Nicholas Canade (5) scored for the Trout while Mathieu Foget picked up two assists. The Rangers have now won three straight and 10 of their last 11 games while the Steelheads fall to 24-27-0-2, six points ahead of ninth place Peterborough for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
GAME CENTRE