Volume 20 | March 7th 2019
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GAME RECAP: @ SSM
The Saginaw Spirit scored five consecutive goals Wednesday in the 5-3 win over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Saginaw finishes the five-game road swing with nine of a possible 10 points and has jumped the Greyhounds for first place in the Ontario Hockey League West Division with the tiebreaker advantage. Both teams are at 85 points through the latter half of February.
Box Score Video Highlights
GAME RECAP: vs Kingston
The eighth-annual Hockey for the Homeless Night at The Dow went off without a hitch with a 7- 1 Saginaw Spirit victory over the Kingston Frontenacs Saturday evening. Camaryn Baber with four assists, along with rookies Ethan Cardwell and Tristan Lennox, led the Spirit to their 41st victory of the season. Cardwell was honored with first-star honors with two first period goals. Lennox, a 2018 second round pick of the Spirit stopped 30 shots for his seventh win of the season. The Spirit lead the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds by two points for the West Division lead with seven games left in the season.
Box Score Video Highlights
GAME RECAP: vs Peterborough
The Saginaw Spirit extended their points streak to seven games following Sunday’s 8-0 win over the Peterborough Petes.
2018 Arizona Coyotes goaltending prospect Ivan Prosvetov made 27 saves for his fourth career shutout with the Spirit.
The former 2018 CHL Import Draft first-rounder, who’s second in the Ontario Hockey League in wins at 33, improves his goals-against average (GAA) and save percentage (SAV%) to 3.01 and 0.907, respectively.
Saginaw still commands a two-point lead over the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds for first place in the OHL West Division.
Box Score Video Highlights
UPCOMING SPIRIT GAMES
th @ Guelph Storm -- Friday, March 8th at 7:30PM @ London Knights – Saturday, March 9 at 7:00PM
Watch: OHL Action Pak, w w w .OHLLive.com Listen: WSGW-FM 100.5, w w w .fmtalk1005.com, Watch: OHL Action Pak, w w w .OHLLive.com iHeartRadio app, WSGW-FM app Listen: WSGW-FM 100.5, w w w .fmtalk1005.com, iHeartRadio app, WSGW-FM app
Nexteer Spirit Player Of The Week
Nexteer Automotive presents "Player of the Week": Saginaw Spirit #11 Ethan Cardwell. The 16 year old forward was recently called up by Saginaw Spirit GM Dave Drinkill to join the Spirit Organization for the remainder of the 2018-19 Season. This past weekend, Cardwell recorded 3 Goals, including a 2 goal night in front of over 4,600 Saginaw Spirit Fans at The Dow Event Center on Saturday Night, leading to a 1st star honors for the night. Cardwell has played in 10 games for the Spirit this season, recording a total of 4 goals.
Cole Perfetti: OHL Academic Players for February
West Division: Saginaw Spirit rookie forward Cole Perfetti is the OHL West Division Academic Player of the Month for February. The 17-year-old from Whitby, Ont. maintained a 91.5% average in his first semester studies at Heritage High School. The grade 11 student is currently studying Biology, English and Literature, Marketing and Independent Living courses. “Cole is an enthusiastic student with a great work ethic,” said Spirit academic advisor Pamela Moretuzzo. “He’s a very strong student and has assumed the role of peer tutor in numerous study sessions. Cole welcomes academic and personal challenges and works diligently to accomplish the tasks at hand.” Perfetti has had a tremendous season on the ice, scoring a Spirit franchise record 31 goals by a rookie. He currently leads OHL rookies with 66 points (31- 35–66) over 57 games this season along with a plus-29 rating. Perfetti was the first round (5th overall) pick of the 2018 OHL Priority Selection from the Vaughan Kings Minor Midgets. In five games with Canada White at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, Perfetti recorded nine points (2-7–9).
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OHL Rookie of the Month February – Cole Perfetti
Saginaw Spirit forward Cole Perfetti is the OHL Rookie of the Month for February, leading all freshmen with 21 points including 10 goals and 11 assists over 12 games to go with a plus/minus rating of plus-16. The 17-year-old Perfetti made Spirit history, setting a single season record for rookie goals in a season on Feb. 23rd when he scored a pair in a 6-3 road win over the Hamilton Bulldogs. Perfetti’s 28th of the season pushed him ahead of Jan Mursak (2007) in the franchise record book. The milestone game was one of four three- point performances from Perfetti in February. After scoring in each of his first two games of the month he recorded three assists in a 4-1 road win over the Windsor Spitfires on Feb. 7th. He continued his strong play on Feb. 13th, putting up a goal and two assists in a 9-2 win over visiting Flint. Perfetti also had a three-point night on Family Day, earning second star honours with a goal and two helpers in a 7-6 shootout loss to the Sarnia Sting. The big night in Hamilton was one of two multi-goal efforts in February, joining a two-goal showing on Feb. 21st in Barrie. Perfetti registered points in 11 of his 12 February contests, becoming the first 30-goal rookie scorer in Spirit history with his overtime winner on Sunday in Oshawa. His strong play helped the Spirit climb into the West Division lead as they secured their 40th win for the first time since 2010-11. A native of Whitby, Ont., Perfetti leads OHL rookies with 30 goals and 63 points over 55 games. He is the second-straight 16-year-old rookie to score 30 goals in a season, following Hamilton’s Arthur Kaliyev who became the first to do so last season since Sarnia’s Alex Galchenyuk in 2010-11. A member of the 2018 OHL Cup Powered by Under Armour All-Star Team last spring, Perfetti was selected fifth overall in the OHL Priority Selection from the Vaughan Kings Minor Midgets. He represented Canada White at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, recording nine points (2-7–9) over five contests. Perfetti will be eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft.
Feature: How a handshake in a Kitchener hotel lobby brought Darren Rumble to Saginaw
It’s been 29 years but Darren Rumble has finally returned home with the Ontario Hockey League. “Getting reintegrated back into the league is a nice feeling,” he said. Not too often does a coach get hired at the midway point of the regular season, but when the opportunity came for the Saginaw Spirit to fill an opening behind the bench in an assistant capacity, the timing couldn’t have been more ideal for Rumble to climb aboard. The addition of Rumble was announced less than two weeks after the former Stanley Cup winner was dismissed from the Moncton Wildcats (QJHL) in his sixth year as head coach.
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Buffalo Wild Wings Watch Party
Saginaw Spirit @ Guelph Storm -- Friday, March 8th -- 7:30PM Saginaw Spirit @ London Knights – Saturday, March 9th – 7:00PM
The Saginaw Spirit will once again partner with one of the most popular sports bar-chain restaurants in all of North America to provide access to their team like never before. The Buffalo Wild Wings location in Saginaw, which has already established itself as one of the “go- to” locations to watch live sports in the Great Lakes Bay Region, will continue to show the live television broadcasts of all 34 Spirit away games against Ontario Hockey League opponents during the upcoming season on their massive collection of state-of-the-art High-Definition televisions and projectors.
SPIRIT PROMOTIONS
PLAYOFF TICKETS ON SALE: March 11 at 9:00 am
Playoff Tickets for the 2019 OHL Playoff Home games 1 & 2 will go on sale to the general public on Monday, March 11 at 9:00 am. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Saginaw Spirit Store on State Street or by calling 989-497-7747. Don't miss out on your chance to Soar With Us throughout the playoffs this season.
CLICK HERE
90 Minute Power Play:
Thursday, March 14th : The Budweiser Red Room Saturday, March 16th : The Budweiser Red Room
The Saginaw Spirit are proud to introduce in conjunction with The Dow Event Center and SMG, the new “90 minute Power Play” prior to each regular season Spirit game at The Dow Event Center. Fans are invited to enjoy the 90 minute Power Play in the Budweiser Red Room or in the Dow Hockey Corner behind section 23 in the concourse of the arena. Budweiser Red Room Availability can be found at
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Saginaw Spirit: March 14th
Country Night 2.0
Red Room Live Entertainment: Prior to puck drop the Saginaw Spirit invite fans to enjoy live music provided by Steve Armstrong and the 25 Cent Beer Band. The first 1,000 fans will receive a Camo Koozie upon entrance to the Budweiser Red Room. Also in attendance will be Mike Avery, of Outdoor Magazine radio show and podcast, to meet and greet with outdoor sporting fanatics.
Saginaw Spirit: March 16th
Final Home Game of the 2018-19 Season
Saturday, March 16th is the FINAL night fans are able to use Any Game, Any Time Vouchers. To validate your ticket stop by the Saginaw Spirit Store at 5789 State Street in Saginaw or at The Dow Event Center Box Office prior to puck drop.
Prior to puck drop: fans can visit the Kendra Scott Pop Up Booth where Kendra Scott Jewelry will be available for purchase, 20% of each purchase will be donated to help support the Saginaw Spirit Charitable Foundation. All fans who make a purchase on Saturday, March 16th will be entered to win a piece of Kendra Scott Jewelry valued at $120.00. Item: CLICK HERE During the game: the Saginaw Spirit are set to honor and recognize Saginaw Hockey Legend Dennis Desrosiers, who has been an iconic member of hockey here in Saginaw for nearly 5 Decades. The former Saginaw Gears Forward, many know as Rosie, has been with the Spirit Organization since the team relocated from North Bay to Saginaw in 2002. First as Head Coach for the organization and now as the Color Commentator alongside Saginaw Spirit broadcaster Joey Battaino. The Saginaw Spirit Organization is thankful for the commitment and dedication Rosie has provided the Saginaw Spirit over the years, and more importantly what he has done for hockey here in Saginaw.
Post Game Jersey Auction: Following the game on Saturday, March 16th we invite you to stick around as we auction off Game Worn Navy Saginaw Spirit Jerseys from the 2018-19 Season. All jerseys auctioned off will be autographed by the Saginaw Spirit Player and available for pick up following the 2019 Playoff Run. The Saginaw Spirit will also auction off an autographed Jonathan Tavares Toronto Maple Leafs Jersey during the post game jersey auction. Proceeds will go to benefit the Saginaw Spirit Charitable Foundation.
Saginaw Spirit Merchandise
NEW ITEMS: Show off your Spirit by visiting the Saginaw Spirit Official Merchandise Website at
CLICK HERE TO CHECK IT OUT!
BOOK YOUR GROUP TODAY! Saginaw Spirit Hockey Club | 989-497-7747 | [email protected] | saginawspirit.com
This Spirit Weekly was presented by Yeo & Yeo CPAs & Business Consultants, a leading Michigan accounting firm. Yeo & Yeo provides forward-thinking, comprehensive solutions in accounting, audit, tax, technology and business consulting.
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