GAME PREVIEW; Mar. 8/17 – SAR @ SSM

With six games remaining in the regular season, the Soo Greyhounds return home this week for a pair of games and as one of the hottest teams in the Ontario Hockey League.
Action begins TONIGHT (7:07 PM).

The Hounds enter action tonight following a three-game roadtrip that saw the Hounds pick up points in all three contests thanks to a pair of wins (6-0 at Guelph and 2-1 at Kitchener) and overtime loss (3-4 at Windsor).
That extended the Hounds regulation unbeaten streak to six games (5-0-1-0) while improving them to 7-2-1-0 in their last 10 games.

Sarnia enters the final two weeks of the regular season unbeaten in their last two games after the team handed Erie it’s first regulation home ice loss of the season last Saturday Night (5-3) before dropping a 2-3 overtime decision at Mississauga the very next day.

Sarnia Sting (29-27-6-1, 65 points) @ Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (43-15-3-1, 90 points)

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HEAD-TO-HEAD
Tonight is the sixth and final meeting of the regular season between the Hounds and Sting, and the locals hold the advantage in the season series with 3 wins and 2 losses.

Let’s take a look at how the action has ended when they’ve meet earlier this season;

W 6-5, Feb. 24 @ SSM
A Sarnia powerplay goal opened the scoring before the Hounds (Carroll, Gettinger and Verbeek) scored to give the Hounds a 3-2 lead after the first period;  The teams traded off three goals each over the final forty minutes as the Hounds edged the Sting 6-5;  Boris Katchouk had the game winner;  Hounds outshot Sarnia 45-27
(Boxscore)

L 3-7, Jan. 21 @ SAR
Hounds fell behind 3-0 in the first period of play;  Sarnia scored twice more in opening five minutes of second period before Tim Gettinger put Hounds on the board to trail 1-5 after two periods;  Teams traded off goals in the third period (Verbeek, Speers);  Hounds outshot Sarnia 35-34
(Boxscore)

W 8-1, Dec. 18 @ SSM
In their final game before the Christmas break, Colton White (2 of the year) gave the Hounds a 1-0 lead after the first period before they exploded for six goals in the second period to lead 7-1 (goals by Katchouk x 2, Kopacka, Hawel, MacIntyre and Gettinger);  Hounds outshot SAR 45-30
(Boxscore)

L 2-5, Nov 4 @ SAR
Hounds led 2-1 after the first period by goals by Bobby MacIntyre and Morgan Frost before Sarnia would score once in the second and three times in the third, five unanswered in total in win;  Hounds outshot Sarnia largely, 37-18
(Boxscore)

OTW 4-3 Oct 2 @ SAR
Scoreless first period;  Hayden Verbeek  opened the scoring before teams were tied heading into the third period;  Sarnia took the lead on goals by Salinitri, Lajeunesse;  Hounds battled fro two deficit thanks to Miller and Gettinger (with goalie pulled);  Makinen scored his 1st career OHL goal 0;47 into overtime on the PP;  Hounds outshot Sarnia 39-20
(Boxscore)

EYEING 1ST OVERALL
With back-to-back wins by the Hounds, couple with back-to-back losses by the Erie Otters, the race at the top of the Western Conference heads into Week 24 a lot more interesting.

The Hounds trail the Otters by just 3 points for 1st in the Western Conference and first overall in the OHL.

With each team having six games remaining in the regular season, here’s how their respective schedules look.

GREYHOUNDS
vs SAR, vs KIT, @ SBY, @ SAG, vs SAG, vs LDN

OTTERS
@ WSR, @ LDN, vs PBO, vs LDN, @ KIT, vs GUE

To view the complete standings CLICK HERE.

CHL HONOURS
Greyhounds’ rookie netminder MATTHEW VILLALTA was recognized with CHL honours this week as the Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week.

To view the full story CLICK HERE.

STING HAVE THE SOO CONNECTION
Three members of Sarnia have played at one point of their career in a Greyhounds uniform.

Defencemen Kevin Spinozzi and Theo Calvas along with forward Anthony Salinitri all started their major junior careers here in the Lock City.
While Calvas played with the Hounds until January of the this year, Salinitri suited up his rookie season through 21 games of the 2014-15 season while Spinozzi played a full year before going south 41 games into 2013-14.

DID YOU KNOW?
This past Sunday’s win in Kitchener was the Hounds first this season when scoring two goals of less this season (1-12-0-0).

TOP 3 IN SCORING
GREYHOUNDS
• Bobby MacIntyre (23-48-71);  20 PP Pts
• Zach Senyshyn (41-19-60);  239 SOG;  10 GWG
• Morgan Frost (17-38-55);  19 PP Pts

STING
• Jordan Kyrou (30-58-88);  30 PP Pts;  203 SOG
• Drake Rymsha (30-27-57);  5 GWG;  15-23-28 in 23 GP with SAR
• Jeff King (13-40-53);  17 PP Pts

OHL BOXSCORE
For all the stats throughout the game check out the OHL boxscore HERE.

RADIO/TV
The Rock 101 pre-game show with Gerry Liscumb Jr. begins starting at 6:37 PM.  You can hear the action by tuning your FM dial to 101.3 or listen online HERE.

ShawTV will bring the live action as well starting at 7:00 PM.

MUIO’S PREDICTOR CHALLENGE
Don’t forget to take part in tonight’s “Muio’s Predictor Challenge”.

Tweet us who you predict to score the Hounds first goal for a chance to win a $10 Muio’s Restaurant gift card.  #muios

Photo by James Egan Photography