Spirit lurks in win over Soo
Saginaw Spirit skulked out of Sault Ste. Marie tonight with a steal. Despite being out-skated and out-chanced for a good part of the match, Saginaw out-scored the Soo Greyhounds en route to a 4-2 victory as Ontario Hockey League play resumed following the Christmas holiday break.
Russian-born goalie Ivan Prosvetov shook off a shaky goal and made 24 saves, many of them difficult, as Saginaw improved its record to 19-11-4 and 8-2-2 under coach Chris Lazary, who replaced the fired Troy Smith 22 games into the 2018-2019 OHL season.
The loss for the Soo dropped its record to 21-9-5 as the Greyhounds played without Team Canada world junior forwards Morgan Frost and Barrett Hayton.
Defenseman Duncan Penman — with his first goal of the season — along with with Aidan Prueter, Cole Coskey and Blade Jenkins scored for Saginaw while Joe Carroll and Cole MacKay replied for the Soo in front of 4,700 fans at GFL Memorial Gardens.
Of note, Penman and Prueter, who were both taken in the second round by Saginaw at the 2017 OHL priority selections draft, turned in outstanding efforts for the Spirit in tonight’s clutch victory for the visitors. And although he did not figure in on the scoring, hulking right winger Jake Goldowski turned in an effective, all-around performance for Saginaw.
PHOTO: Saginaw Spirit goalie Ivan Prosvetov, a towering presence between the pipes.