Marrelli’s 100th Point Night Spoiled by Brantford
Oshawa, ON – Oshawa travelled to Brantford tonight to take on the Bulldogs in their second regular season game. The Generals were looking to start the season strong with two wins in a row, while Brantford hoped to bounce back from a blowout loss to Brampton in their first game.
Unfortunately, this one went Brantford’s way, as Oshawa lost 6-2. Penalty trouble was one of the deciding factors.
Oshawa got on the board early, scoring 4 minutes and 11 seconds into the first period. Off an offensive zone faceoff, Generals forward Lauri Sinivuori cycled the puck down behind the net to Owen Griffin, who made a slick pass out front to an open Matthew Buckley, who made no mistake for his first of the season.
Exactly eight minutes after Oshawa took the 1-0 lead, Brantford’s Owen Protz scored the team’s first of the season to tie the game at one. Sustained pressure in the offensive zone ended with Protz beating Noah Bender’s blocker side. The first period ended 1-1, despite Brantford having two powerplays to Oshawa’s zero.
The Bulldogs were the first to strike, scoring a five-on-three powerplay goal just over seven minutes into the second period. A Nick Lardis one-timer from the point made its way through a screen in front and past Bender’s blocker. Despite Oshawa outshooting the Bulldogs in the second frame, they gave up two late goals just 19 seconds apart. A Patrick Thomas tip in front and Jake O’Brien’s first of the year made it 4-1 at the end of two periods.
Luca Marrelli scored 3:29 into the third period to notch his 100th point in the OHL. Buckley and Griffin secured their second points of the night with assists on the 4-2 goal.
However, Oshawa would not mount a comeback, and Brantford answered just over a minute after Marrelli’s goal, followed by Lardis’ second goal of the game with just under six minutes to play. The General, Sean Castello, was issued a five-minute major and game misconduct for cross-checking Daniel Chen in the third period. That was one of Oshawa’s nine penalties in the game to five Brantford penalties.
Oshawa will look to bounce back against the Ottawa 67’s at tomorrow night’s home opener. Get your tickets here!
Our home opener tomorrow night can be watched on Rogers TV or CHL TV, or listened to at Oshawa Generals Radio.
