2,574 fans made their way to the Dow Event Center for game three of Spits-Spirit Western Conference semi-final on Tuesday and the Spirit took a two games to one series lead, with a 5-2 win Tuesday night.
The home side got off to a good start three minutes into the contest. Saginaw’s Garrett Ross converted a Jordan Szwarz feed for the game’s first goal, catching the Spits on a bad line change to take an early lead.
Midway through the frame, Windsor was unable to control a dump in behind their goal and Ivan Telegin found Josh Shalla unabated in front of the Spits goal, as Shalla doubled the lead for the home side.
Ross increased Saginaw’s lead to 3-0, finding himself alone in front of the Spits goal and scoring his second goal of the game on a backhand that trickled between Campbell’s pads with less than a minute left in a period the Spits would like to forget.
The Spits didn’t fare much better at the start of the second frame. Vincent Trocheck scored in transition on a two on one to give the Spirit a four goal lead at the 9:44 mark. Campbell made a big save three minutes later on a seemingly sure goal for the Spirit and Zack Kassian scored Windsor’s first goal moments later on a breakaway, beating Mavric Parks high glove to cut the lead to 4-1 after 40 minutes of play.
Alexander Khokhlachev close the gap to 4-2 for Saginaw with eight minutes to play, on a seemingly harmless wrist shot from the top right circle that deflected off a Spirit defenceman and fooled Mavric Parks. Windsor’s apparent comeback was short lived though and Ivan Telegin capitalized on a Jake Carrick penalty less than two minutes later to restore Saginaw’s three-goal lead and securing the win for the Spirit.
Fans are encouraged to wear red for each Spitfire home game as part of the Spits “Mission 9-10-11” theme for the 2011 OHL Playoffs.
SCORING
FIRST PERIOD
SAG Ross, (2) (Szwarz, O’Connor) 3:34
SAG Shalla, (7) (Telegin, Sisca), 9:04
SAG Ross, (3) (Szwarz, O’Connor), 19:16
SECOND PERIOD
SAG Trocheck, (5) (Telegin, Saad), 9:50
WSR Kassian, (2), 14:09
THIRD PERIOD
WSR Khokhlachev, (5), 11:52
SAG Telegin, (2) Szwarz, O’Connor, 13:39 (PP)
SHOTS
WINDSOR: 10 – 8 – 13 = 31
SAGINAW: 12 – 8 – 9 = 29
POWER PLAY
WINDSOR 0-FOR-4
SAGINAW 1-FOR-5
#2 Saginaw vs. #4 Windsor – OHL Western Conference Semi-Final Series (Round Two), 2011 OHL Playoffs
Game 1 – Friday, April 8th @ Saginaw – 7:11 pm (Windsor 3-0)
Game 2 – Sunday, April 10th @ Windsor – 2:05 pm (Saginaw 5-4, OT)
Game 3 – Tuesday, April 12th @ Saginaw – 7:11 pm (Saginaw 5-2)
Game 4 – Thursday, April 14th @ Windsor – 7:05 pm
Game 5 – Saturday, April 16th @ Saginaw – 7:11 pm
*Game 6 – Sunday, April 17th @ Windsor – 7:05 pm
*Game 7 – Monday, April 18th @ Saginaw – 7:11 pm
* If necessary
