Confident captain likes Greyhounds performance
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo courtesy of @wildavephotography
GAME HIGHLIGHTS | GAME CENTRE
Locked in.
That appeared to be the Soo Greyhounds default setting on Friday.
Playing one of their best games in recent weeks, the Hounds opened the OHL playoffs with a convincing, 4-1 victory over the London Knights in front of 8,665 at Canada Life Place.
Confident to begin the series, this performance did nothing to change the mind of captain Brady Martin.
“That was definitely a great game for us. If we continue to play like that, we’ll have no trouble winning the series,” predicted Martin, whose club remains in London for Game 2 in the best-of-seven, quarter-final on Sunday (6 p.m.).
“It was a really-good performance,” added Marco Mignosa. “I liked our full effort. In all three zones, guys were reliable for each other.”
Head coach John Dean, whose club fell behind 1-0 in the opening minute, spoke of how he believed the Hounds played a strong team game.
He also thought his players managed the puck well.
“We got pucks in behind their D and we made sure that when we didn’t have a play, we chose something simple over something high-risk,” Dean added.
“We had four lines rolling, everyone chipped in, everyone played their role,” Martin said. “We needed everybody tonight and everybody showed up.”
While that was true, on both the powerplay and in 5-on-5 situations, the Hounds big guns certainly provided what was needed offensively.
Martin had three assists, Marco Mignosa scored on the powerplay and helped set up two others and their linemate, Jeremy Martin, notched a pair of goals, including one with the man advantage.
Dean called his club’s power-play performance “crisp and clean.”
But the coach didn’t dwell much on the series-opening victory.
“We’re excited to get the first one,” he said. “But now it’s on to Game 2.”
Trailing 1-0, the Hounds scored two quick goals late in the opening period to take the lead for good.
A cross-ice feed by Brady Martin set up a 2-on-1 and Jeremy Martin made the most of it. The second-year winger used Mignosa as a decoy, and rifled a shot from the top of the right circle, beating Sebastian Gatto low to the glove side.
That tied the score at 15:32.
Just 1:06 later, Justin Cloutier fed Lukas Fischer at the left point and Fischer beat Gatto low to the glove side through traffic. That made it 2-1.
In the only goal of the second period, Fischer went cross-ice on the powerplay and Mignosa ripped a one-timer from the left circle to make it 3-1 at 15:26.
In the final period, another power-play goal for the visitors made it 4-1. A slick three-way passing play involving Brady Martin and Mignosa ended with Jeremy Martin’s second of the game at 13:18. His quick shot from the slot beat Gatto on the glove side.
However, on a night when the Soo held a 25-24 edge in shots, the home side struck early.
Just 34-seconds into the game, the Knights intercepted a clearing attempt along with right-wing boards. From behind the net, William Nicholl spotted a wide-open Jaxon Cover in front and he beat Carter George high to the blocker side.
“When things happen that fast, there’s no point in feeling sorry for yourself,” said Dean.
Fischer turned in a strong performance and finished with a goal and an assist for the winners.
His coach said the defenceman played a “veteran, calm, composed game.”
Asked about George, who had an impressive night, en route to posting his first career playoff win, the coach was again succinct.
“Much like our team, he was solid.”
Questioned about the powerplay, Mignosa liked the way he and his teammates moved the puck.
“We shrunk the zone pretty well and we were fortunate to get two (goals),” he said. “Guys were on the same page and the mistakes were limited, as compared to over the last month.”
Brady Martin spoke of how there was little he had to do in order to help set up Jeremy Martin.
“He’s been great for us,” the captain added.
Asked about Sunday’s second game, Brady Martin talked about the need for the Hounds players to enter the contest with the same mentality as Friday.
“No matter what, we have to find a way to win,” he said.
Dean said the coaching staff would review video of the series opener late Friday night, before offering the players feedback on Saturday.
“We’re going to stay extremely even-keeled,” the coach said of the rest of the series. “We have a lot of respect for the way London plays.”
Following Sunday’s clash, the series shifts to GFL Memorial Gardens for games next Tuesday (8:07 p.m.) and Wednesday (7:07 p.m.).
