7 UP! Greyhounds v. Spirit
It is a rivalry that is becoming as terse and testy as any in the Ontario Hockey League. And now the Saginaw Spirit and Soo Greyhounds are set to face off in the seventh and deciding game of their Western Conference semi-final series.
Game 7 is on Tuesday in Saginaw.
There has been chirping aplenty between factions of both teams. There is bad blood that is at or near the boiling point. There is one game left between these two nasty rivals.
Who doesn’t like a Game 7? If the answer is no, you most likely are not much of a hockey fan.
The Greyhounds are the team with the most at stake in Game 7. If the Hounds lose, their season is over. But win or lose, the Spirit will play on. As Saginaw is the host city for next month’s Memorial Cup championship tournament, the Spirit has automatic entry.
But do not think for a minute that Saginaw will be okay with losing Game 7 to the Soo because it goes to the Memorial Cup tournament no matter what. You think the Spirit has no issue if the Hounds move on? Think again.
As much as the Greyhounds and their fans generally loathe the Spirit and its followers, the reverse is also true. Me? It matters not to me which team wins Game 7. I may live in Sault Ste. Marie but I don’t wear Red and White and I don’t wave a pom pom.
As a matter of fact, I have what can be termed favourite players on both teams.
My most-liked list of Greyhounds features goalie Charlie Schenkel, defenseman Andrew Gibson and forward Gavin Hayes.
My Saginaw players of choice are defenseman Rodwin Dionicio and forwards Calem Mangone and Josh Bloom.
Game 7! And then, be it the Soo or Saginaw, bring on the Big Green Machine from London.
Pros and cons for Saginaw as cup hosts. I’m sure they want to win out and go through the front door as OHL champions. On the flip side, if they lose, they can stand rested on the sidelines and watch the other teams beat up on each other for two to three weeks and enter the tournament fresh as daisies.
Windsor came through the back door a few years ago and there’s a championship banner hanging in the rafters. Way to work the (host team) system!
yep, Windsor lost in the first round and then won the 2017 Men Cup!