Spirit win fifth straight to remain undefeated in 2014 with a 3-1 victory over the London Knights last night...

The Saginaw Spirit completed the 2013 calendar year by winning just 1-game of their final-13 games in late November and all of December; but, after a huge 3-1 road victory against the London Knights in front of 9,046 fans at Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario last night, the Spirit are now a perfect 5-0 and undefeated so far in the 2014 calendar year.

 

The Spirit completed their back-to-back sweep of the London Knights in the second game of a home-& home- series last night.  After beating the Knights 2-0 at home last Friday January, 10 at the Dow Event Center, Saginaw goalie, Jake Paterson (Detroit Red Wings third-round draft pick, 80 overall in the 2013 NHL draft) continued his stellar play between the pipes, as he turned away 59-of the-60 shots he faced last night in London. Paterson has now stopped a whopping 89-of the last-90 shots he’s faced over the past two games against one of the OHL’s most prolific offenses. The Knights have won the OHL’s Robertson Cup (league champion) the last two seasons, and are considered contenders once again this year. The Knights currently have a roster with ten players who were drafted by NHL teams over the last couple years; including four players who were selected in the first-round of the 2013 NHL draft. 

 

Paterson recently returned from representing team Canada at the IIHF WORLD JUNIOR HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIPS in Malmo, Sweden from December, 26 through January, 5 where his Canadian team lost in the Bronze Medal game 2-1 to Russia. This was the second straight year the nineteen year old Mississauga, Ontario native was selected to represent his country in the IIHF World Junior Tournament; which features the best hockey players in the world between the ages of 18-and-20. Paterson was also chosen as an eighteen year old to compete last year in the tournament; which took place in Ufa, Russia.

 

Spirit winger, Dylan Sadowy(16) scored first for the Spirit at 7:59 of the second period to give his team a 1-0 lead. Saginaw assistant captain, Justin Kea(16) made it 2-0 for the Spirit when he scored at 2:48 of the third period. Kea(17) then sealed the deal for the Spirit as he scored his second goal of the night –an empty net, shorthanded goal- at 19:28 of the final period. The Spirit will try to make it six straight in 2014 tonight as they host the red hot Sudbury Wolves at the Dow Event Center. The puck is set to drop at 7:11…