Spitfires no match for Attack
The Owen Sound Attack leap-frogged the London Knights in the OHL’s Western Conference standings on Thursday night, decimating the Windsor Spitfires by a score of 9-2 at the WFCU Centre.
Led by Nick Suzuki’s hat-trick and three points apiece from his linemates Jonah Gadjovich and Kevin Hancock, the Attack never trailed in the game and used a massive six goal 2nd period to never let the Spitfires into the game.
Picking up right where they left off on Wednesday night, the Attack got off to a quick start at the WFCU Centre on Thursday thanks a nifty backhander by Maksim Sushko.
Just 2:07 into the game, the Philadelphia Flyers’ draft pick took a centring pass from Daylon Groulx and stepped behind the Spitfires defence before finding the opening between Michael DiPietro’s legs for his 31st of the season. Aidan Dudas got the scoring play started by chipping the puck up the halfwall to Groulx, and was also credited with an assist for his efforts.
As pretty as Sushko’s goal was, though, Owen Sound’s 2nd of the game was as pretty as you’d ever see.
After forcing the Spits to turn the puck over in the Attack zone, a quick up by Jonah Gadjovich allowed Kevin Hancock to find a streaking Nick Suzuki on the right sideboards in the neutral zone.
Suzuki, the OHL’s 4th leading scorer, then put the moves on Windsor defenceman Thomas Stevenson before strong arming his way to the net and burying his 38th of the season to make it 2-0 for the visitors at 11:55 of the opening frame.
Owen Sound wasn’t able to find the back of the net again in the frame, despite outshooting the Spits 11-4 in the opening period, but they didn’t allow a goal either as Olivier Lafreniere was perfect when he was called upon in the 1st, giving Owen Sound a 2-0 cushion heading into the 2nd period.
And it was in that 2nd period that the Attack exploded to take a commanding lead into the 3rd.
Mitchell Russell would score first, slipping a breakaway backhander through Michael DiPietro’s five hole at the 7:33 mark of the stanza after Jacob Friend and Trent Bourque connected to send him in all alone.
Windsor responded just 18 seconds later on a tally by Matthew McDougall to make it 3-1, but that did little to slow the juggernaut that was the Owen Sound offence who reeled off five straight goals almost immediately after.
Making it 4-1 and chasing DiPietro from the net was Daylon Groulx, who scored his 12th of the season on a give and go with Aidan Dudas with 9:14 gone in the frame, making it four goals on 21 shots that the Vancouver Canucks prospect allowed.
But bringing Brock Baier on in relief did nothing for Windsor.
Less than 40 seconds after Groulx’s goal, Nick Suzuki scored his 2nd of the evening on a Baywest Nissan Powerplay after Sean Durzi and Jonah Gadjovich connected below the blueline to set a wide open Suzuki up in the low slot for an easy one-timer.
Then, Gadjovich one-upped Suzuki’s highlight reel goal from the first period by taking a Kevin Hancock pass and walking into the slot before launching a shot off of Baier’s pad. Gadjovich picked up his own rebound and then put the puck between his legs for his 25th of the campaign with 6:55 to play in the 2nd.
And they still weren’t done there.
Back on the powerplay, Brady Lyle blasted a shot from the point low and hard for a rebound, one that Ethan Szypula jumped on and hammered home for his 19th of the season and a 7-1 Owen Sound advantage.
Finally, a milestone moment for Marino Moro would wrap up the scoring in the 2nd and send the teams to the break with Owen Sound holding a seven goal lead.
A cross ice pass from Markus Phillips found Moro at the side of the net, and the rookie forward out of Burlingon easily deposited the biscuit into the basket for his first career Ontario Hockey League goal at the 17:43 mark of the 2nd and an 8-1 score.
But even the intermission couldn’t cool off the Bears.
Just over 4:00 into the 3rd, Nick Suzuki was back at it, scoring his 3rd of the game and 40th of the year after Kevin Hancock threaded the needle to Suzuki, who was standing in the faceoff circle to the left of Baier when he beat him high above the glove.Suzuki’s goal also marked his 97th point of the season, a new career high after he had 96 in 65 games last year.
Trent Bourque also assisted on the play, making it 7 Attack skaters with multipoint events with 16:00 of hockey still left to be play in the game.
Windsor was able to get one back after the final TV timeout of the game, with Jake Smith beating Lafreniere up high to make it a seven goal margin with 9:13 to play in regulation.
Smith’s tally stood as the final goal of the game, but the Attack were content to just play out the remaining time on the clock, staking claim to a 9-2 win that gave them 82 points on the season, one more than the idle London Knights.
London has three games left in the regular season, while the Attack have just one remaining and the battle for home ice could come down to London’s final game of 2017-18 on Sunday against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
Owen Sound swept the Mac Taylor Corporation 3 Stars of the game, with linemates Nick Suzuki, Jonah Gadjovich, and Kevin Hancock picking up 1st, 2nd, and 3rd stars respectively.
Olivier Lafreniere turned aside 16 of the 18 shots he faced on the evening, as Owen Sound took the Mark McDade Shots on Goal by a 42-18 margin.
The Attack will wrap up their regular season at home on Saturday, Mar. 17 when the Sarnia Sting come to town.
Tickets for the contest are limited to standing room only, but can be purchased at the MacVicar & McComb ReMax Attack Box Office.
Fans can also purchase for Owen Sound’s 1st Round Playoff Matchup with the London Knights at the MacVicar & McComb ReMax Attack Box Office, online at www.attackhockey.com, or by calling 519-371-7452.
A full schedule for the 1st Round of the 2018 OHL Playoffs will be released once it is finalized.
This season of Attack Hockey is brought to you by Lerners Personal Injury Lawyers and Bertrand & Muzzell Paralegal Services.
