OSHAWA — Saginaw Spirit goalie Jake Patterson stole the show and the win as he stopped 40 shots to beat the Oshawa Generals 3-2 on Friday night.
Patterson faced 42 shots, turning aside all but two of them, as the Generals out shot the Spirit handily in each period.
Saginaw forward Justin Kea scored two goals, including the game winner, that came after he stole the puck from Generals defenceman Matt Petgrave and beat goalie Daniel Altshuller near the post on a breakaway.
The Spirit’s Eric Locke also scored a goal and added an assist in the win.
Oshawa carried most of the play in the first two periods, out shooting the Spirit 30-20 after 40 minutes but Patterson was strong enough to give Saginaw a 2-1 advantage heading into the third.
A string of eight penalties called in the last six minutes of the second allowed the Generals to finally beat Patterson.
With 15 seconds left captain Boone Jenner found Colin Suellentropp alone in the slot and the defenceman wired his fourth goal of the season.
“I saw him come open up top, so I gave him the puck and Sully did all the rest,” said Jenner.
Matt Petgrave scored to bring Oshawa within one goal with less than three minutes remaining in the game on a fluttering shot from the point, but Patterson kept shutting the door until the buzzer sounded.
“We definitely had the momentum on our side and had enough time to score again but we just couldn’t put it in the net,” said Jenner.