The Erie Otters faced a three-goal deficit for the second straight night on Saturday.
But unlike a 7-4 win against Brampton on Friday, there was no comeback victory.
Saginaw goaltender Jake Paterson made that lead stand up, as he stopped 40 shots and recorded his first OHL shutout in the Spirit’s 3-0 win against the Otters in front of 3,814 at Tullio Arena. His solid effort helped the Spirit (23-22-0-5) snap the Otters’ two-game streak. Paterson has stopped 83-of-84 shots in two games against the Otters this season.
Erie (7-38-3-1) was shut out for the fourth time this season after totaling 14 goals in their previous two games. That overshadowed a 30-save effort by rookie goaltender Devin Williams, who earned his first career loss in his first home start and second start overall.
Williams, a native of Saginaw, Mich., had an inauspicious start to his home debut for the Otters. During the game’s opening power play, Brandon Saad fired a wrist shot – Saginaw’s first shot of the game – past a surprised Williams to hand the Sting a 1-0 lead 2:49 into the game. But Williams settled down after that.
He stopped the Sting’s final nine shots in the period. Meanwhile, Paterson stopped all 13 shot he faced to keep the Otters scoreless in the first period. Saginaw added to its lead on Josh Shalla‘s 25th goal of the season 4:38 into the second period. He slipped a shot past Williams from in front to hand the Spirit a 2-0 lead.
Then with 8:24 left in the second, the Otters faced a 3-0 deficit for the second straight night. Saad scored his second goal of the game on assists from Shalla and Vincent Trocheck for the Spirit’s second power-play goal on two chances.
Paterson took over down the stretch, as he stopped all 16 Otters’ shots in the third period.
Saad, who added an assist, finished with three points for the Spirit. Shalla (goal, assist) and Trocheck (two assists) added two points apiece.
- Victor Fernandes
SUMMARY
SPIRIT 3, OTTERS 0
Saginaw 1 2 0 — 3
Erie 0 0 0 — 0
1st Period — 1. Saginaw, Brandon Saad 17 (Trocheck, Walch), 2:49 (pp). Penalties — Olden (E) checking from behind, 1:24; Ringuette (S) hooking, 19:05.
2nd Period — 2. Saginaw, Josh Shalla 25 (Fine, Saad), 4:38. 3. Saginaw, Saad 18 (Shalla, Trocheck), 11:36 (pp). Penalties — Glass (E) holding, 10:34; Amestoy (S) goaltender interference, 16:49; Walch (S) tripping, 17:37; Wood (E) checking to the head, 18:41; Fox (E) roughing, 18:56; Archibald (S) roughing, 18:56.
3rd Period — None. Penalties — Schumacher (S) hooking, 4:29; Brown (E) unsportsmanlike conduct, 9:01; Trocheck (S) unsportsmanlike conduct, 9:01; Erie, too many men (served by McDonnell), 13:16; Trocheck (S) interference, 13:49; Cairns (E) hooking, 17:54.
Shots on goal — Saginaw, 10-15-8—33; Erie, 13-11-16—40.
Goaltenders — Saginaw, Jake Paterson 12-15-0-2 (40 shots, 40 saves); Erie, Devin Williams 1-1-0-0 (33 shots, 30 saves).
Power plays — Saginaw (2-5), Erie (0-5).
Referees — Jason Faist, Ben Wilson. Linesmen — Adam Harris, Mike Harrington.
Attendance — 3,814.
Three stars
* Brandon Saad, Spirit (2 goals, assist) ** Jake Paterson, Spirit (40 saves) *** Devin Williams, Otters (30 saves)
