Attack Fall in Overtime as Playoff Picture Gets a bit Clearer
You could say that the Owen Sound Attack deserved a better fate Saturday night at the Bayshore, as they fell in overtime for consecutive games, this time 3-2 to the Kitchener Rangers.
It was early in the action when fans got a hint that the Saturday night affair might be a goalie duel, as both Attack goalie Corbin Votary, fresh off the IR, and Rangers goalie Marco Costantini were solid in the opening 20 minutes, and continued that play all the way through until the final buzzer.
Owen Sound was able to jump out front late in the opening period, when rookie Ben Cormier buried a two-on-one rush, keeping the puck and firing five-hole on Costantini with just 44 seconds left on the clock. The goal was Cormier’s third of the season, as the 2022 first round pick has made the most of his opportunity to play a top six role in the Owen Sound lineup as injuries have left the Bears shorthanded.
On the injuries, both the Attack and Bayshore faithful held their breath late in period one when Cedrick Guindon took a follow through stick to the mouth, but the Montreal Canadiens prospect returned during period two. After watching the Rangers pull even off a bad bounce on the end boards, Guindon began to make his presence felt in the game, capping it off with a goal of the night candidate shorthanded. On a play that started as a Servac Petrovksy break until he was tripped up, Guindon blew past a pair of Rangers to the loose puck, and while mid-deke was tackled down, but the Rockland, ON native still managed to roof the puck over a sprawled out Costantini.
Between Owen SOund’s strong team defence and Votary’s goaltending, it looked as though the Attack would be able to hold off the Rangers, but a net front scramble early in period three would see Kitchener pull even again as the puck was chipped over a stretched out Votary.
The Attack would get back on the offence, trying to regain their lead but it would not be so and for the second straight game the Bears would play extra hockey. Unlike Friday night in Barrie, Owen Sound would get some puck touches as they controlled off the face-off, with Ethan Burroughs even weaving his way in with a quality look on net. That first 40 seconds of possession would not result in anything and as the Rangers worked a tired Attack trio, it was eventually Matthew Sop providing the final buzzer moment.
Though not the outcome the Attack wanted, Saturday night also represented the organization honouring their over age players before the game, as goalie Nick Chenard, forward Matthew Papais and defensmen Nolan Seed all received a moment of reflection before a loud Bayshore applause.
The loss puts Owen Sound two points back of Guelph for the sixth seed in the Western Conference, while also being four points behind Flint for fifth. The Attack round out their home schedule for the regular season with a rare Tuesday night game at the Bayshore as they welcome the Sarnia Sting. Tickets for the game can be purchased at the MacVicor and McComb Sutton Realty Attack Box Office by calling 519-371-7452 or going online.
