Game 1: Oke flawless as Spirit start series strong
Saginaw 4 vs. Sault Ste. Marie 0 – Saginaw leads series 1-0
Andrew Oke was the game’s first star, stopping all 39 shots he faced in a 4-0 win
After a scoreless first, Saginaw had second period goals from Hunter Haight and Calem Mangone before Alex Christopoulos and Matyas Sapovaliv scored in the third
Charlie Schenkel stopped 31-of-34 for the Greyhounds
Travis Hayes returned to the Soo lineup while overage winger Jack Beck remained sidelined
A crowd of 3,506 took in Game 1 at the Dow Event Center
Game Centre & Highlights | Saginaw Post-Game | Soo Post-Game
SHUT THAT NET, OKEY 🥅 pic.twitter.com/r2n5FXq4r4
— Saginaw Spirit (@SpiritHockey) April 12, 2024
(2) Saginaw Spirit (50-16-1-1) vs. (3) Soo Greyhounds (45-18-3-2)
Soo Series Preview
An eight-game season series where the home team didn’t manage to win a game – not even one!
The Saginaw Spirit and Soo Greyhounds will settle the score in the Western Conference Semi-Finals, with the Memorial Cup host Spirit looking to fulfill their destiny up against a Greyhounds group setting out to crash the party in mid-Michigan.
The Spirit come off a 4-0 series sweep of the Owen Sound Attack, outscoring the Bears 18-8. They look to hit the ice flying on home ice Thursday night after a lengthy break for both teams.
The Greyhounds enter play off a sweep of their own, eliminating the Guelph Storm in four first round contests. The series triumph came at a cost as Sault Ste. Marie lost overage veteran Jack Beck to injury in Game 1 and he didn’t return for the rest of the series. Hounds coach John Dean told Peter Ruicci that Beck, who was their leading scorer during the regular season, “could play in Saginaw.” He provided a similar outlook on rookie forward Travis Hayes, who has been out of the lineup with an upper body injury.
Ruicci described the series as “two speeding trains heading towards each other – on the same track,” and you can read his preview here.
Former exceptional status first overall OHL Priority Selection choice Michael Misa has been playing great hockey of late, recording five points (3-2–5) in four first round outings. Misa led all players in the eight-game season series between Saginaw and the Soo, recording 12 points (6-6–12) against the Greyhounds.
The series offers an intriguing goaltending matchup as two undrafted 19-year-olds in Saginaw’s Andrew Oke and Sault Ste. Marie’s Charlie Schenkel try and take their teams to the next level. Oke (89th) was selected just two picks before Schenkel (91st) in the 2020 OHL Priority Selection as the two veterans, who have each shown glimpses of being big game performers throughout their time in the league, look to be a positive factor in the series.
You’d think home ice advantage would play into Saginaw’s favour in a series between the two teams, but does it? Find out when the puck drops on Game 1 Thursday night at the Dow Event Center. See the entire series on OHL Live.
A highly anticipated clash of West Division powers is slated for Round 2!#OHLPlayoffs | #SAGvsSOO pic.twitter.com/KslJIBStUD
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) April 5, 2024
Series Schedule:
Game 1 – Thursday, April 11 at Saginaw, 7:05pm
Game 2 – Saturday, April 13 at Saginaw, 7:05pm
Game 3 – Monday, April 15 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07pm
Game 4 – Wednesday, April 17 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07pm
Game 5 – Friday, April 19 at Saginaw, 7:05pm*
Game 6 – Sunday, April 21 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:07pm*
Game 7 – Tuesday, April 23 at Saginaw, 7:05pm*
*- if necessary
Season Series:
Each team won four games
Oct. 27 – SOO 5 at SAG 4 (SO)
Nov. 29 – SOO 4 at SAG 3
Dec. 1 – SAG 3 at SOO 1
Dec. 28 – SOO 5 at SAG 2
Dec. 31 – SAG 4 at SOO 3
Jan. 31 – SOO 5 at SAG 3
Feb. 11 – SAG 3 at SOO 0
Mar. 24 – SAG 9 at SOO 2
Playoff History:
This marks the sixth time that Saginaw and Sault Ste. Marie have met in the OHL Playoffs
– 2019 SAG def. SOO 4-2 – 2nd Round / 2018 SOO def. SAG 4-0 – 1st Round / 2015 SOO def. SAG 4-0 – 1st Round / 2008 SOO def. SAG 4-0 – 1st Round / 2007 SOO def. SAG 4-2 – 1st Round
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