SAGINAW -- The Saginaw Spirit have clinched a spot in the 2010 OHL playoffs and moved into the sixth place seed courtesy a 6-3 win over the Plymouth Whalers Tuesday. 

The Spirit victory occurred in front of 4,513 school students and fans that were attending the morning game as part of the Saginaw Spirit Education Game, presented by the Dow Chemical Company and the Dow Corning Corporation with support from the American Chemical Society.

Saginaw goalie Edward Pasquale earned the game’s first star with 49 saves on 52 shots while defenseman Jordan Hill earned second star honors with a goal, two assists and a plus-4 rating.

The Spirit have 70 points and a record of 32-25-4-2 with five regular season games remaining, one point behind the fifth place Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and four points behind the fourth place Plymouth Whalers.  The Erie Otters are in seventh place with 69 points, while the Guelph Storm with 62 points and the Owen Sound Attack with 61 points are in a battle for the eighth and final playoff seed.

Saginaw jumped to an early 2-0 lead immediately into the game.  Spirit leading goal scorer Josh Shalla scored his thirty-second goal of the season at the 1:55 mark, courtesy assists from wingers Michael Kantor and Jordan Skellett. Winger Jordan Szwarz (NHL Phoenix Coyotes) moved the score to 2-0 at 5:36 with a goal from defenseman Jordan Hill and center Tyler Murovich, however the Whalers quickly responded to cap off first period scoring by a tally of 2-1.  Plymouth center Garrett Meurs scored off of an assist from A.J. Jenks (NHL Florida Panthers).

The second period would see goals from both teams, but concluded with the Spirit tying up the contest by a score of 3-3.  Plymouth’s Jenks scored a short-handed goal at 2:18 move the score to 2-2, thanks to an assist from center Tyler Brown.  The Spirit answered moments later with a short-handed goal of their own at the 7:58 mark, courtesy winger Barry Sanderson who scored his fourteenth goal of the season from winger Mitch Fillman.  Plymouth winger R.J. Mahalak tied up the game at three apiece with a power play marker at 15:03, assisted by defenseman Leo Jenner.

The Spirit offense exploded in the third period to secure the win, putting up thee goals in the final frame.  Saginaw’s rally started with a powerplay goal from center Ivan Telegin at 3:58, with assists coming from defenseman Peter Hermenegildo and Skellett.  Murovich added an insurance goal at 17:29 and moved the score to 5-3.  Saginaw’ Hill assisted on the goal and then quickly followed with an unassisted empty netter at 19:58 to cap off the 6-3 Spirit victory.

Spirit goalie Edward Pasquale (NHL Atlanta Thrashers) posted 49 saves on 52 shots, while Whalers goalie Matt Hackett (NHL Minnesota Wild) tallied 24 saves on 29 shots.