Hounds strike first against Sarnia
Story by soogreyhounds.com | Photo by Natale Shaver (OHL Pucks) | Post-game audio provided by Brad Coccimiglio (Sootoday.com)
SARNIA, ON-
The “second season” began for the Soo Greyhounds on the road Friday, and like they have many times this 2015-16 campaign, the locals produced a solid showing on opposition territory.
Erasing an early first period deficit, the Hounds took their first lead of the game in the second period before skating to an early series lead against the West Division champions.
“It’s been proven before, you know the character of the kids we have in the dressing room and they’ve showed it in the past. I’m not surprised at all by the response” started Hounds Head Coach Drew Bannister when asked about the early deficit and how they responded the rest of the way.
“It was early in the hockey game and 5-on-5 early on we were playing good hockey, just discipline wise we had to be better. Five-on-five we were able to work outselves back in the hockey game and give ourselves a chance to win that game” he continued.
Sarnia’s potent powerplay would connect twice in the opening five-minutes of the game, scoring on the front and back half of a GUSTAV BOURAMMAN double minor.
With the Hounds rearguard serving the penalty for what appeared to be an accidental high stick, it was the recipient opening the scoring.
Travis Konecny wristed a shot past a screened BRANDON HALVERSON and over his glove hand for the 1-0 Sting lead at 4:29.
Just twenty-eight seconds later Kevin Spinozzi finished off a cross-ice feed with a quick, low shot to make it a 2-0 Sting lead at 4:57.
The Hounds would cut into the deficit just over the midway point of the period when ZACH SENYSHYN carried the puck in over the wing, sent it to BORIS KATCHOUK and then HAYDEN VERBEEK trailed the play before rifling a shot high over the glove of Charlie Graham to cut the Sting lead to 2-1.
“It kind of put us back in the game and being down 2-0 at that point, it split the lead in half. We started to build our confidence back and certainly we knew if we just kept with it we’d get opportunities and we got some bounces, there’s no question about that” said Bannister of the goal that put the Hounds on the board.
Sarnia held the slight advantage in shots through twenty minutes, 13 to 9.
The Sting would find themselves in penalty trouble of their own in the early minute of the second period.
Eight seconds after Nikita Korostelev was ushered to the box for hooking, Brandon Lindberg was assessed a checking-from-behind minor leading to a two-man advtange for the Hounds for a span of 1:52.
With seconds remaining on the five-on-three, ZACH SENYSHYN’s attempt to the right of the Sting goal went behind the net and came out to the opposite side where GABE GUERTLER fired home his 1st goal of the series, and fifth goal of his playoff career, tying the game at two (2-2).
Less than a minute later, and while back even strength, BOBBY MACINTYRE skated in off the wing, gained a step on the defence and while driving to the net placed the puck five-hole on Graham, giving the Hounds a 3-2 advantage, their first lead of the game.
Matt Mistelle pulled the game even, scoring Sarnia’s final goal of the night, but third on the powerplay.
With sixteen seconds left on a five-on-three of their own, the LA Kings prospect one-timed home a goal to finish off a give-and-go with Pavel Zacha to even the score at three.
Before the period was ten minutes old, GABE GUERTLER quickly regained the Hounds lead banging home the puck to the left of the goal for his second of the night, and a 4-3 advantage for the visitors.
TIM GETTINGER picked up the lone assist on the goal that would eventually hold on for the game winner.
Five minutes after COLTON WHITE rung an attempt off the crossbar, the lead would be extended to a pair of goals.
On the powerplay, BLAKE SPEERS threw the puck on goal and it found the back of the cage at 15:32 to increase the Hounds lead to 5-3.
The Hounds would face a late penalty kill. And despite surrendering three powerplay goals in the first half of the game, they would close out the deal thanks in part to standout work by BORIS KATCHOUK.
Hounds led 5-3 through forty minutes. The lead after two periods was a position the Hounds relished in the regular season while going 28-2-3-0 when leading after two periods.
Scoring would be capped off in this game at 7:43 of the third period when HAYDEN VERBEEK sent a rinkwide feed across from the right to left of Charlie Graham.
The pass hit BORIS KATCHOUK in the skate and he quickly put it on his stick before firing home his first career playoff goal and extending the Hounds lead to three goals.
The defensive game of the Hounds shut down the Sting while limiting them to a single shot in the opening seven minutes, before outshooting them 9-8 in the period while skating to a 6-3 victory.
“Ya we were able to manage the puck and keep it low in their zone. We didn’t want to get in a run and gun game with them. We wanted to manage the opportunities we gave them and keep it minimal and keep it down low as much as possible” commented Bannister when asked about his team’s third period.
“We knew we didn’t have to force anything, they’d have to push to open the game up and that’s not what we wanted to do and we just sat back and waited for our opportunities” he added.
With the victory the Hounds take the early 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series against the Sting.
ATTENDANCE – 4,199
RED STAR THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1- Gabe Guertler, SSM
2- Blake Speers, SSM
3- Travis Konecny, SAR
Stats courtesy of the ontariohockeyleague.com
BOXSCORE RECAP | PLAY-BY-PLAY RECAP
UP NEXT;
Game 2 of the Western Conference Series (SSM@SAR) is set for THIS SUNDAY, March 27th.
(Hounds lead the best-of-seven series 1-0)
Opening face-off is 4:05 p.m
Fans can hear all the action beginning with the Bay Mills Resort & Casino’s pre-game show on Rock 101 (101.3 FM, www.rock101.net) beginning at 3:35 p.m..
This game will also be simulcast on Oldies 93 (93.9 FM)
COMPLETE SERIES SCHEDULE
Sarnia Sting (2) vs Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (7)
Game 1 – W 6-3
Game 2 – Sunday, March 27; SSM @ SAR, 4:05 p.m.
Game 3 – Tuesday, March 29; SAR @ SSM, 7:07 p.m.
Game 4 – Thursday, March 31; SAR @ SSM, 7:07 p.m.
Game 5* – Saturday, April 2; SSM @ SAR, 7:05 p.m.
Game 6* – Sunday, April 3; SAR @ SSM, 7:07 p.m.
Game 7* – Tuesday, April 5; SSM @ SAR, 7:05 p.m.
* denotes “if necessary”
