The losing streak is over.
Ryerson Leenders turned in a strong 33-save effort and Alex Lisi’s first Ontario Hockey League goal stood as the game-winner, as the Owen Sound Attack clipped Saginaw Spirit 2-1 Sunday evening at Dow Event Center.
The Attack (3-8) brought an end to their four-game losing streak, finishing their West Division swing through Windsor, Flint and Saginaw on a high note.
“Battled some adversity today, guys sacrificed their bodies, made the right decisions at the right times, and Ryerson was rock solid in net,” Attack Head Coach Keenan Reynolds says. “There’s not a lot of excitement or happiness for me, it’s more a sense of relief that when we play our way we are able to get two points.”
“I feel we deserved minimum one point against Flint,” Reynolds continues. “And I think as a team we’ve just flushed Friday night down the toilet.”
Saginaw (6-3-1) had its five-game winning streak and six-game point streak end.
Harry Nansi also scored for the Attack. Dima Zhilkin had Saginaw’s lone goal.
Nansi gave the Attack a 1-0 lead at 6:52 of the first with a power play goal. Banks got him the puck and Nansi walked in front the right side and let a shot go from the slot and beat Brady Knowling blocker side.
Lisi made it 2-0 just under three minutes later. Jace Voortman won the puck in the corner and found Lisi with a pass in front, and he fired the puck in for his first OHL goal. Voortman also picked up his first OHL point on the play.
Zhilkin cut the lead in half with just under four minutes to go in the first, capitalizing on a 5-on-3 power play. Saginaw won the draw in the offensive zone and worked it quickly to Zhilkin on the left flank, and he hit a one-timer past Leenders to make it 2-1.
That was it for offence.
Saginaw pressured the Attack late in the third, and had pulled for the extra attacker with three minutes remaining. But Owen Sound kept structure in the defensive zone and Leenders was there, using his pads to kick away point shots that did come through to the net.