Hounds praise Schenkel in win over Flint
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by Bob Davies
FULL PHOTO GALLERY | VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS
Charlie Schenkel was more than just a goalie on Friday.
He was the Soo Greyhounds get-out-of-jail free card.
The overage stopped 37 of 38 shots sent his way – including several from in tight – leading the Hounds to a 2-1 victory over the Flint Firebirds in front of 3,735 at GFL Memorial Gardens.
“When he’s on his game, he’s the best goalie in the league,” said Greyhounds’ defenceman Andrew Gibson, whose third period marker snapped a 1-1 tie and stood up as the winner. “He worked so hard this summer and came into camp ready to go. He gave us a lot of confidence tonight.”
“That was my best game this season,” agreed Schenkel, whose club was outshot 38-22 overall, including 30-16 over the final two periods and 17-6 in the decisive final frame. “I like to be busy. I like stopping the puck. That’s my job.”
The Ottawa native spoke of how he felt “really” calm between the pipes, helping the Soo make it four wins in six starts, after opening the season with three straight losses.
“It’s a boring style, but it gets the job done and I feel it calms the whole team down,” added Schenkel, a six-foot-six, 203-pounder.
“Charlie was great,” said head coach John Dean, whose club will carry a 4-5-0-0 mark into Sunday’s 2:07 p.m. home start against Sarnia (5-2-1-2 after beating Sudbury 5-1 on Friday). “I’m really excited about the way he’s playing. He continues to be a source of strength for us.”
Flint head coach Paul Flache, whose team fell to 4-4-0-0, credited Schenkel for his strong play, but also spoke of how the Firebirds needed to take the netminder’s eyes away.
“The goalies at this level, if they can see it, they’re going to make the save most of the time,” Flache added.
With the contest tied 1-1 in the third period, Gibson took advantage of Erik Muxlow’s hard work to notch the winner.
Muxlow fed Gibson, who beat Flint netminder Nathan Day with something less than a wicked drive from the blue-line at 6:25.
“I pulled the puck to the side, got a shot through and it found a way to get in. It was a sifter,” Gibson said of his second goal of the season. “There was a great screen by the forwards.”
The Greyhounds opened the scoring at 13:20 of the opening frame. Day misplayed the puck behind his goal and Charlie Hilton, on the backhand, found Travis Hayes in front of the net.
Hayes, who was left alone, notched his fifth goal of the season.
The Firebirds tied the game when the Hounds had trouble behind their goal. David Holub’s clearing attempt hit a Flint player’s skate and bounced right to Cole Zurawski at the side of the net.
He beat Schenkel by jamming the puck home on the short side at 8:47 of the middle frame.
The Hounds were forced to kill off six Firebirds power plays. Dean said he didn’t think his club was undisciplined, noting instead how the visitors used their speed to force the Soo into taking penalties.
“Our PK has been a source of strength for us,” noted the coach, whose club surrendered five power-play goals in its first two games and just three over the last seven. “It was absolutely huge tonight.”
The credit, Dean continued, goes to assistant coach Brendan Taylor.
“He’s the best PK coach in the league,” Dean said. “His attention to detail is incredible.”
Dean also agreed the home side defended more than he’d like.
As for the power play, the Hounds were 0-for-2, dropping to 1-for-30 on the season.
However, Dean did see some positives.
“I saw pieces of the power play, some foundational stuff, for the first time in two games,” the coach added.
After losing 44 of 67 face-offs in Sudbury on Wednesday, the Soo flipped the script, winning 40 of 61 on Friday. Dean credited assistant Daniel Nikandrov, who challenged the forwards to be better.
Notes:
Winger Marco Mignosa missed his ninth straight game due to a non-Covid illness.
Dean said the veteran, who won’t play on Sunday, could be ready to return next week.
