Flint, Mich. – Game two of the 12-game I-75 Divide Cup, presented by Coors Light, went to the Saginaw Spirit Wednesday night at the Dow Event Center by a final score of 4-1. Amadeus Lombardi scored the lone goal for the Firebirds, his first of the season. For the Spirit, Dalton Duhart scored twice, his first and second of the season. Josh Bloom (Buffalo Sabres) and Dean Loukus also found twine. In net, Saginaw netminder Andrew Oke made 27 saves on 28 shots for his second victory. Luke Cavallin made 15 saves on 19 shots in the first 42:09 of the game. After that Nathaniel Day saw his first OHL action and stopped all four shots faced.
Saginaw opened the scoring off a defensive turnover by the Firebirds. Grand Blanc, Mich. native Dalton Duhart was the recipient of an errant pass between the circles. He wasted no time settling the puck and launching a wrister over Cavallin’s right shoulder for his first goal and fifth point of the season at 4:33 of the first period. Duhart’s unassisted tally was the only marker of the opening 20 minutes. The ‘Birds outshot the Spirit 12-10, and faceoffs favored Saginaw by a margin of 13-9. Neither team scored on their power-play opportunities, with Flint going a man up twice and the Spirit getting one chance.
The Spirit extended their lead to two just 33 seconds into the middle frame. While short-handed, Josh Bloom emerged on an all-out breakaway from the red line in. Once in the slot, he faked a forehand to Cavallin’s blocker side before lifting a backhander far side. The goal was his second of the season, unassisted.
While on another penalty kill, the Spirit created a two-on-one on the other end of the ice. Duhart carried the puck up the right-wing side, with a linemate in tow on the left. Duhart kept the puck and lifted a wrist-shot just under the crossbar near-side. His second goal of the contest was logged at 15:45, short-handed and unassisted.
The second period ended with Flint in a 3-0 deficit, despite holding the edge in shots 17-16. Saginaw held a slight advantage in faceoffs 21-20 total through two periods. Flint was unable to convert on four power-play chances in the middle frame and killed off both of their penalties successfully.
The Spirit netted their fourth goal just as their power play expired early in the third. Matyas Sapovaliv passed around the end boards to Calem Mangone behind the Flint net. Mangone slipped a pass to Dean Loukus in the slot for a quick one-timer, good for his fourth of the campaign at 2:09. Nathaniel Day replaced Luke Cavallin in goal before play resumed, making his first appearance in a regular-season OHL contest.
Amadeus Lombardi put the ‘Birds on the scoreboard with just over two minutes remaining in the game. He and a Spirit defender both swung at a loose puck between the circles, and the resulting bounce deflected off another Spirit defender’s skate and slipped between Andrew Oke’s pads at 17:52 of the third. The goal was unassisted.
Final shots favored the Firebirds 28-23. Flint’s penalty-killers got the job done, shutting Saginaw down on nine power-play chances. The ‘Birds went scoreless in five power plays. The Spirit won 34 of 62 faceoffs through the 60 minutes.
You must be logged in to post a comment.