The 2024 Memorial Cup kick-started with an electrifying match-up between the Moose Jaw Warriors, the reigning WHL champions, and the Saginaw Spirit, the proud hosts of the tournament. This year’s event marked a milestone, being the first time the Memorial Cup has ever been hosted in Michigan, and the first instance of the tournament being held in the United States since Spokane, Washington, had the honor back in 1998 – a time when all of these players were not even born. The game, a spectacle to behold, was ultimately clinched by the home team, the Saginaw Spirit, with a thrilling 5-4 victory, setting the tone for what promises to be an unforgettable tournament.
Saginaw is wearing some different kind of jerseys for the memorial cup. Honoring the Canadian and American militaries. I usually am not a big fan of alternate jerseys but that one looks pretty good.
Last time I seen the Warriors start out playing this bad the Rebels flanked them 5-1 back in December.
Nica Sima tipped in a Zayne Parekh shot with 31 seconds left in the first period to make it a 1-0 Spirit game with the second assist going to Michael Misa.
Saginaw outshot Moose Jaw 17-7 in the first period. The score could of been alot worse if it wasn’t for the excellent play of Jackson Unger.
Right when a BS penalty call on Yager for love tapping princess Zayne Parekh the Spirit’s Owen Beck tipped in another goal to make it a 2-0 game. The assist on the goal went to Parekh and Alex Chirstopoulos at 2:13 of the second period. Beck represented Canada at the World Junior Championships last Christmas and is a 2022 second round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens. Beck was selected 2 picks ahead of Warrior Jagger Firkus that draft.
Zayne Parekh makes it 3-0 for the Spirit at 7:28 of the second period with the assists on the goal going to Kladno, Czech native Matyas Sapovaliv and Calem Mangone.
Jorian Donovon the son of former Calgary Flame Shean Donovan makes it 4-0 with the assist going to James Guo at 9:04 of the second period.
Brayden Yager scored for the Warriors to get there first ever goal at a Memorial Cup tournament with the assist from Matt Savoie. The goal was at 18:11 of the second period. It looked like Jager Firkus was involved earlier but he wasn’t credited.
Denton Mateychuk scored for the Warriors 37 seconds later at 18:48 to cut the Spirit’s lead by 2. The assists on the goal went to Rilen Kovacevic and Kalem Parker.
Brayden Yager then scored again seconds later at 19:46 of the second period to cut the lead to only 1. The assists went to Denton Mateychuk and Jagger Firkus. Thats 3 goals in 1:35 for Moose Jaw.
Shots on goal in the second period were 13-11 for Saginaw.
Overager Josh Bloom scored at 1:52 of the third period for the Spirit to give them a 5-3 lead with the assists going to Owen Beck and Alex Christopoulos.
Jagger Firkus had a goal disallowed. It went upstairs for review and it was offside by a long shot.
Moose Jaw pulled their goalie with 3 minutes left
Matt Savoie scored with the extra attacker at 17:13 from Brayden Yager and Denton Mateychuk.. Unger went back in after the goal.
Unger went back to the bench with 1:37 left in the 3rd with the faceoff down in the Spirit zone and the Warriors called a time out.
Shots on goal in the third period were 8-6 for Moose Jaw
Andrew Oke made 22 saves on the 26 shots that he faced for the win for Saginaw. Jackson Unger was awesome for the Warriors making 31 saves on the 36 shots that he faced.
Player of the game was Zayne Parekh.
Attendance in Saginaw was 4,893
Moose Jaw’s next game is Monday against the London Knights. Saginaw’s next game is Sunday against Drummondville Voltigeurs and Tomorrow nights game is the London against Drummondville.
Still can not deny the kids skill, but he was doing a lot of that.
Saginaw Spirit Pictures
