Sault Ste Marie 5, Saginaw 2
(Sault Ste Marie wins series, 4-0)
New York (The Draft Analyst) — Nick Ritchie scored the deciding goal midway through the third period, Anthony DeAngelo registered four assists as the Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds rallied with a four-goal third period to defeat the Saginaw Spirit, 5-2, and sweep the first-round, best-of-seven series. Brandon Halverson (NYR 2nd/2014) made 23 saves and stopped all 19 shots he faced after giving up first-period goals to Artem Artemov (#159 NA CSB Midterm) and Vladislav Kodola (2015 draft eligible) for a 2-0 deficit. DeAngelo (TB 1st/2014), who led all Ontario Hockey League defensemen during the regular season with 89 points, spearheaded the Greyhounds’ comeback with primary assists on four of their five unanswered goals, beginning with left wing Michael Bunting’s (ARI 4th/2014) power play strike midway through the second period. Left wing Tim Gettinger (2016 draft eligible) tied the score with his first early in the third before Ritchie (ANA 1st/2014) one-timed the series-winning tally with the man advantage with under ten minutes left in regulation. Left wing Sergei Tolchinsky (UDFA) padded the lead with a goal on a breakaway and Darnell Nurse (EDM 1st/2013) closed out the scoring with a shorthanded empty-net goal. The Greyhounds await the winner of the Erie-Sarnia series, which the Otters lead, 3-1.