Live blog: Soo Greyhounds vs. Saginaw Spirit (4:50 p.m. Update)

Welcome to SooToday.com's live blog of this afternoon's New Years Eve Ontario Hockey League game between the Soo Greyhounds and Saginaw Spirit from the Essar Centre in Sault Ste. Marie.

The game is one of eight on the OHL schedule today. For a look back at the weekend action around the league, click here for Saturday's action and here for Sunday. For a full recap of the Greyhounds win over the Sudbury Wolves over the weekend, click here.

Click here for a full recap of the game, complete with comments from both coaches.

Photo courtesy SooToday.com's Kenneth Armstrong

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4:50 p.m. Update

Greyhounds coach Sheldon Keefe commented that the Greyhounds likely deserved a better fate in the first period than being tied at one.

Saginaw coach Greg Gilbert felt the lone bright spot was goaltender Nikita Serebryakov

4:22 p.m. Update

The rink gets cleaned up and the Greyhounds hold on for the final 23 seconds for a 6-5 win over the Spirit

4:17 p.m. Update

With 23. 4 seconds left in the contest a pane of glass in the Greyhounds zone is shattered while another has fallen onto the ice. The Spirit had the puck in the Greyhounds zone with Serebryakov on the bench. City staff on the ice to clean up the situation

4:05 p.m. Update

Andrew Fritsch stopped as he deflects a shot in tight but the overage forward follows up the play and scores on the rebound to make it 6-5 Greyhounds

4:00 p.m. Update

9:28 left in the third period as the game remains tied at five...shots are 46-23 Greyhounds

3:51 p.m. Update

Saginaw takes a 5-4 lead as Jeremiah Addison beats his man to the Greyhounds net and redirects a nice feed from Nick Moutry. Just 51 seconds later David Miller in the left faceoff circle converts a cross-ice feed from Sergey Tolchinsky past Serebryakov to tie the game at five

3:45 p.m. Update

Third period is underway as the Spirit kill off the remnants of a penalty to Eric Locke

3:26 p.m. Update

Two periods in the books at the Essar Centre as the Greyhounds and Spirit are tied at four. Shots are 39-18 Greyhounds

3:21 p.m. Update

Kevin Spinozzi steps into a loose puck and beats Serebryakov high glove side to tie the game at four

3:13 p.m. Update

Terry Trafford gives Saginaw a 4-3 lead as he gets past Kyle Jenkins and Tyler Ganly and beats Matt Murray high to the glove side on the breakaway

3:06 p.m. Update

OHL website reading a different story on some of the early goals in the second period. The first Saginaw goal, credited to Luke Cairns initially, has been given to Kristoff Kontos while the Greyhounds goal, changed from Gaudet to Spinozzi, has been given back to Gaudet with an assist to Spinozzi

3:00 p.m. Update

Scramble in front of the Saginaw goal and Tyler Gaudet knocks in the loose puck to tie the game at three...Meanwhile, the Greyhounds second goal has been changed. Kevin Spinozzi now credited with the goal while Gaudet has been given an assist on the play

2:57 p.m. Update

Justin Sefton with a point shot that beats Matt Murray five-hole on a goal the veteran Sault goalie would want back

2:54 p.m. Update

Luke Cairns with a chance from the slot handcuffs Matt Murray. Just over a minute later, Tyler Gaudet's point shot through a crowd beats a heavily-screened Serebryakov to tie ther game at two apiece

2:50 p.m. Update

Period two is underway at the Essar Centre

2:34 p.m. Update

Zach Senyshyn going to the net redirects a feed from David Miller past Nikita Serebryakov to tie things at one heading into the first intermission....shots favour the Greyhounds 21-9

2:29 p.m. Update

Latter stages of the opening period. Greyhounds with 20 shots and a power play as Jesse Graham is in the box for Saginaw

2:18 p.m. Update

Eric Locke with a one-timer from the right faceoff circle glove side on Matt Murray after a give-and-go with Kristoff Kontos....1-0 Saginaw

2:13 p.m. Update

Just under 12 minutes left in the opening period and the game remains scoreless

2:06 p.m. Update

Nick Moutry turned aside on an early breakaway by Matt Murray

2:03 p.m. Update

We're underway at the Essar Centre

Pre-game

Scratches

Sault Ste. Marie: Jorgen Karterud (World Juniors), Krigan Goetz, Blake Speers (Under-17 tournament), Brandon Hughes, Brandon Halverson (injured)

Saginaw: Jimmy Lodge, Mitchell Stephens (Under-17 tournament), Jake Paterson (World Juniors), Cody Payne (Suspended)

Lines

Sault Ste. Marie: Michael Bunting-Jared McCann-Andrew Fritsch, Jean Dupuy-Dylan Corson-Trent Mallette, Hayden Verbeek-David Miller-Sergey Tolchinsky, Patrick Watling-Tyler Gaudet-Zachary Senyshyn; Kevin Spinozzi-Colton White, Kyle Jenkins-Tyler Ganly, Darnell Nurse-Alex Gudbranson; Matt Murray

Saginaw: Eric Locke-Kristoff Kontos-Luke Cairns, Dylan Sadowy-Justin Kea-Terry Trafford, Blake Clarke-nick Moutry-Jeremiah Addison, Michael Holmes-Alex Alexeev-Ryan Orban; Jacob Ringuette-Justin Sefton, BRandon Prophet-Jesse Graham, Sean Callaghan-Daneil DeSousa; Nikita Serebryakov

Starters

Sault Ste. Marie: Michael Bunting-Jared McCann-Andrew Fritsch; Darnell Nurse-Alex Gudbranson: Matt Murray

Saginaw: Eric Locke-Kristoff Kontos-Luke Cairns; Brandon Prophet-Jesse Graham; Nikita Serebryakov