Bears End Season with a Roar as Sights Change to Playoffs
Heading into game 68 of the OHL season and the Owen Sound Attack’s playoff road was still unclear. The Attack took care of their business with a big 6-4 victory over the Saginaw Spirit on the road, but will have to wait until the final of the London vs Kitchener game to know how their fate will be set.
The Bears came out humming, scoring a pair of goals within the first 7:32, with both goals coming from the blue line, as James Petrovski and Teddy Sawyer each found the back of the net. For Petrovksi it was his third straight game lighting the lamp, as the young d-man has begun to find his offensive stride with Owen Sound. Unfortunately, the game took a wild turn on the Attack, as the Spirit began to push back, and would score three unanswered goals in the latter half of the period, as Saginaw took a 3-2 lead into the first intermission.
It was tough start to period two for Owen Sound, as the Bears found themselves in penalty trouble for the much of the period, but it was late in the period when Thomas Chafe was rewarded for a strong forecheck, and pulled the Bears even going into the final period.
The final 20 minute saw Owen Sound press for the go-ahead goal, but it was the Spirit just before the mid-way point retaking their one goal lead. It was a short lived lead, as Jackson Stewart with his hard-nose playing style, crashed the net and once again pulled the Attack back even just over a minute later.
Another hard working net front battle by Landen Hookey about five minutes later, would see him slide a loose puck under the pad of the Spirit goalie giving the Attack a late game lead. The final buzzer did not come without stress as Owen Sound was forced to a penalty kill with just 49 seconds left on the clock. After some stressful moments, Ethan Burroughs was able to corral the puck and fire into the empty net to seal the game.
Owen Sound will begin their first round playoff series against either Windsor/London later this week, with the Attack’s first two home games coming Tuesday April 4 and Thursday April 6. Tickets for the playoff home games are available at the MacVicor and McComb Sutton Realty Attack Box Office by calling 519-371-7452 or going online.
