The Saginaw Spirit will be without star defenceman Zayne Parekh and goaltender Andrew Oke for Game 1 against the London Knights.

The Saginaw Spirit are definitely still banged up from the seven-game series versus the Soo Greyhounds in the second round, and they will be without two key pieces in Game 1 versus the London Knights. 

Zayne Parekh and Andrew Oke have been ruled out of game one of the third round due to injury.

2024 NHL Draft eligible blueliner Zayne Parekh has been a key piece for the Spirit all season long, in fact he is a main reason for their success this season. Parekh's a gifted offensive defenceman with an incredibly high ceiling, and the Spirit may not have access to him as a player for many more seasons. He will be hearing his name called early on in the first round of the NHL Draft.

Through the first two rounds of the playoffs, Saginaw has been splitting starts between their two goaltenders — Andrew Oke & Nolan Lalonde. Now that Oke has been ruled out with injury, the crease is Lalonde's to lose.

Both netminders have certainly done their jobs so far this postseason, but now the pressure shifts to Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Nolan Lalonde. This will be Lalonde's seventh start of the OHL playoffs, and he has a 2.85 GAA & a .890% save percentage. 

The Spirit have dealt with injuries all-playoffs-long, and this will just be another challenge that they have to face.

The London Knights are the next task at hand — a team that has swept their two previous playoff opponents. London is rolling, and no team has been able to stop them thus far. Saginaw will look to be the first.