Saginaw's Jake Paterson helped knock the talent-laden Sarnia Sting out of the OHL playoffs.
Day 6: Jake Paterson, Saginaw, goalie. Third NA goalie.
Perhaps more than any other player, Jake Paterson is responsible for the confused top five scenario at this year’s draft.
While Nail Yakupov has kept his number one ranking, his standing as well as the position of his centreman Alex Galchenyuk was muddled by the Sarnia Sting’s first-round, six game loss to Saginaw Spirit.
The architect of that upset: 6’1” Spirit goalie Jake Paterson who stopped 163 of 180 shots and racked up a 3.04 GAA and .905 save percentage in the series.
The result was the highlight of a tumultuous year in which the Mississauga native survived several challenges to his number one spot and a coaching change that landed former Toronto Marlies coach Greg Gilbert behind the Saginaw bench.
By the time the playoffs rolled around Patterson had played 42 games and racked up a .904 save percentage. His record stood at 18-18-0-3.
“For me, personally nothing changed. Kept doing the same thing before every game. Same preparation. Gibber kind of leaned on me with a month left in the season and that gave me the motivation to do what I did in the playoffs.”
Paterson played well as the Spirit extended London to six games.
