No W, but Dean pleased with ‘gritty’ point
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photo by @pictureboymedia
Eventually, even the top marksmen run out of bullets in the chamber.
Just ask the Soo Greyhounds.
The Hounds had their six-game win streak snapped on Saturday, dropping a hard-fought, 3-2 shootout decision to the Guelph Storm in front of 4,790 at Sleeman Centre.
Wil McFadden’s shootout goal, and the ensuing miss by the Soo’s Kirill Kudryavtsev, clinched the Storm’s third consecutive victory in the final game for both teams prior to the OHL Christmas break.
Despite the setback, Hounds head coach John Dean lauded his club, which had won the first two of a three-game trip, beating North Bay 6-2 on Wednesday and Kitchener 6-3 on Friday.
“We got a gritty point today,” said Dean, whose club enters the break with an OHL-best 13-4-1-1 record away from home. “After yesterday’s emotional game, this was a big game for the guys to get up for. I’m really happy with the group on this road trip.”
The Hounds were 9-1-0-0 in their previous 10 games prior to Saturday’s contest.
Dean credited the players for their ability to manage emotions.
“We don’t let our lows get too low or our highs get too high,” added the coach, whose team’s overall mark stands at 22-8-2-1 through 33 games. “The strength of our team is our depth and the fact we’re an extremely mature group.”
That depth was tested on this trip as centres Owen Allard (Team Canada) and Bryce McConnell-Barker (concussion), defenceman Arttu Karki (Team Finland) and winger Jordan D’Intino (upper-body injury) were all unavailable.
“We had a depleted lineup, missing four top-end guys,” said winger Jack Beck, whose club is idle until a Dec. 28 clash in Saginaw (7:05 p.m.). “But the way we stepped up as a unit, all credit goes to our coaching staff. We have an unreal team with great depth. And we’re getting into a groove here. We’ve really figured out ourselves.”
After a scoreless overtime, Beck and Guelph’s Michael Buchinger scored shootout goals heading into Round 3.
McFadden went upstairs, beating Soo goalie Landon Miller high to the stick side to give the home team the lead.
As the final shooter, Kudryavtsev tried to deke Storm netminder Brayden Gillespie, but the puck rolled off his stick.
“Definitely a tough loss, but it is what it is,” said Hounds winger Marco Mignosa, whose power-play goal at 19:27 of the second period gave his team a 2-1 advantage. “Now we get to regroup over the break.”
Asked about his team’s hot play of late, Mignosa spoke of how “we’ve been playing great. This group is amazing. We love each other and play for each other.”
Trailing 2-1, Guelph tied the game with a power-play goal at 1:25 of the final frame.
Sirizzotti’s clearing attempt was held in at the line by Buchinger, who fed Jake Karabella in front. Karabella connected on the blocker side to tie the score 2-2.
A minute into overtime, Miller robbed Jeff Luchanko with a beautiful save at the side of the goal. With a minute to go in OT, Hounds rearguard Andrew Gibson sent a backhander off the post.
Brady Martin opened the scoring in the first period capping a slick, three-way passing play. Travis Hayes hit Julian Fantino, whose backhand feed sprung Martin. The rookie notched his third of the season going stick side on the backhand at the 8:06 mark.
The home side tied the game with the clubs skating 4-on-4 midway through the middle stanza. Buchinger finished a 2-on-1 with Karabella by firing a one-timer past Miller on the glove side.
The Soo rookie goalie was impressive, on a day when the Hounds held a 28-22 edge in shots.
Miller is “a goalie who responds extremely well after he feels he’s had a poor night,” said Dean, looking back at a Dec. 8 game against Kingston in which the first-year player surrendered three goals on nine shots before giving way to Charlie Schenkel. “He wasn’t happy with his last outing, but he comes out today and performs exceptionally well for us.”
Now firmly established as a serious championship contender, the Hounds are pleased with their first half.
But not content.
“I’d call our start pretty successful, but we’re not satisfied,” said Mignosa. “We want to go for it and go far this year.”
Of their recent hot streak, Beck said: “We hold ourselves to that standard and doing that all the time.”
Most impressive, he added, is the camaraderie between players.
“It’s a brotherhood here. All of these guys are my best friends. We always battle hard for each other.”
Hounds players and staff are slated to report back on Boxing Day, before practicing on Dec. 27.
