Kostov, Sirizzotti, Beck pace Hounds past Battalion
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo courtesy of North Bay Battalion
In a matchup where the depth of both clubs was tested, the Soo Greyhounds absolutely owned Wednesday’s second period.
Taking advantage of their opponent’s sloppy play, the Hounds made the most of their deep depth to score four straight goals in a span of 12:21, breaking open what had been a 1-1 tie.
They went on to secure a 6-2 victory over the North Bay Battalion in front of 2,717 at North Bay Memorial Gardens.
“The second seems to be our period this year. We were really good on the forecheck and we had a lot of good movement in the offensive zone,” said head coach John Dean, whose team used the middle frame as a springboard to begin its final road trip heading into the Christmas Break. “I really liked our second period for obvious reasons. For sure, that put the game away.”
“Everyone put their foot on the gas in the second period and we didn’t stop,” added Brenden Sirizzotti, whose two-goal effort helped the team win its fifth straight, while improving to 21-8-2-0 heading into an off day on Thursday. “We’re missing some top players. But our depth is insane this year.”
The Hounds are slated to visit Kitchener on Friday (7 p.m.) and Guelph on Saturday (2 p.m.). After that, the club is idle until a Dec. 28 clash in Saginaw.
Kitchener (23-7-2-0) tops the Western Conference, four points ahead of the Greyhounds, who have played one fewer game.
The Soo is nine points ahead of the Spirit (17-9-0-1) in the race for top spot in the West Division. Saginaw has four games in hand.
On Wednesday, the Hounds were minus centre Owen Allard, who learned he had made Team Canada earlier in the day and will compete in the world junior championships, beginning on Boxing Day in Gothenburg, Sweden.
The Hounds veteran has been competing at Canada’s tryout camp in Oakville, Ont.
“I’m so proud, just so proud,” Dean said of the Allard news. “I’m so happy for he and his family and I know he’ll represent the Soo Greyhounds well.”
The Soo was also missing rearguard Arttu Karki, who is trying out for Team Finland, centre Bryce McConnell-Barker (concussion) and winger Jordan D’Intino (upper-body injury).
The Battalion skated minus defenceman Ty Nelson and goalie Dom Divincentiis, both of whom have been in Oakville, but neither made Team Canada’s final roster.
Also absent, forward Ihnat Pazii, who is suiting up for Team Ukraine in the B Division of the world junior championship.
Also among the players missing due to injury or illness were forward Dalyn Wakely and defenceman Tnais Mathurin.
“It’s never easy to lose as many players as we have,” said winger Alex Kostov, who joined Sirizzotti as a two-goal performer. “The question was: ‘Who is going to step up?’ And some of the guys just decided this was their time to shine and they showed what they can do.”
With the teams tied 1-1 after 20 minutes, savvy winger Jack Beck made a slick feed to Justin Cloutier on the power play. Cloutier, cutting in from the right wing, beat Battalion netminder Mike McIvor high to the stick side.
Cloutier’s 14th of the season put the Hounds ahead to stay at the 4:02 mark of the second.
Just under six-minutes later, Sirizzotti made it 3-1. Hoping to connect with Marco Mignosa, Beck sent the puck from the left wing into the far corner. Mignosa out-raced his man to it and fed Sirizzotti, who had beaten a North Bay defender to the front of the net. The Whitby, Ont., native’s ninth goal of the season made it 3-1.
A costly turnover put the home team in a deeper hole at the 11:20 mark. From behind his net, North Bay’s Trevor McDowell put the puck right onto Beck’s stick. The Hounds winger fired from the right circle and after McIvor made the save, Kostov shoveled home the rebound for his fourth of the season.
The Soo made it four goals in a span of 12:21 when Kostov and Christopher Brown combined for a short-handed marker. Swarmed by the two Greyhounds, the Battalion turned the puck over twice in its own zone. At the left side of the goal, Brown fed Kostov for his second of the night at the 16:23 mark. That made it 5-1.
Brown had the other goal for the winners, who held a 41-29 edge in shots.
Both Brown and Cloutier finished with a goal and an assist. Beck contributed three assists while Mignosa added a pair of helpers in support of netminder Charlie Schenkel.
Reyth Smith, on his first shot as an OHL player, and Ethan Procyszyn, on the power play, had the North Bay goals.
Smith put the home team in front midway through the first period, but Brown tied the game four minutes later.
Dean said Kostov “might be the best penalty-killer in the league. He scored two fantastic goals and brought us a lot of energy.”
The coach also praised Sirizzotti, Beck, Brown and rookies Brodie McConnell-Barker and Tate Vader.
Asked about Friday’s 1 vs. 2 showdown, Dean spoke of how the Greyhounds match up well with Kitchener.
The Rangers are “pretty deadly off the rush and they have a lot of movement in the offensive zone,” the coach added. “We’re very good defensively and very good in rush coverage. I suspect those two things will have to be elite.”
Notes:
London’s Sawyer Boulton, whose hit injured Bryce McConnell-Barker, was handed a 10-game suspension by the OHL on Wednesday. Boulton was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for checking to the head in Sunday’s 5-4 Soo victory at GFL Memorial Gardens.
