On 9-for-17 streak, Hounds show power-play prowess
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media) | Photos by Bob Davies
PHOTO GALLERY | GAME HIGHLIGHTS | GAME CENTRE
The Soo Greyhounds powerplay has been so charged up of late, you’d think the club had booster cables installed in its dressing room.
The Hounds scored two key power-play goals on Sunday – their fifth-straight game connecting with the man advantage – en route to a 6-4 victory over the Owen Sound Attack in front of 3,951 at GFL Memorial Gardens.
“We’d been talking about the powerplay needing to win us some games and today it did,” said head coach John Dean, whose once-struggling, powerplay connected twice late in the second period to break a 2-2 tie.
“We’re all on the same page now,” added overage Marco Mignosa, who notched the go-ahead goal on a 5-on-3 at 18:11 of the middle frame. “Guys are executing passes, guys are bearing down and it shows. We have confidence now on the powerplay, 100 per-cent.”
Just 1:02 after Mignosa’s goal, the Hounds added another man-advantage tally, this one off the stick of rookie Noah Laus on a 5-on-4.
Chris Brown, who had an outstanding game with a goal and three assists, set up both markers as the Hounds secured their fifth straight victory.
They’ll carry a 20-10-1-1 mark into a Wednesday clash in Saginaw (7:05 p.m.).
“We had a wake-up call a few games ago,” said defenceman Callum Croskery, in reference to an 0-for-6, power-play showing in a 3-2 loss in Flint on Nov. 29.
With a 14.0 per-cent conversion rate (17-for-121), the Soo, temporarily at least, fell into 20th place in the 20-team loop.
But, since beginning this homestand on Dec. 5, the Hounds powerplay is a sparkling 9-for-17, including 2-for-2 against Owen Sound.
“We knew we needed to be better,” added Croskery, whose club has quickly improved its efficiency to 18.8 per cent. “Coach Dean and (assistant) coach (Daniel) Nikandrov have been awesome tweaking it, and we now have a lot more confidence on the powerplay.”
“It’s starting to hum. It’s been a nice little stretch here,” added Dean, who admitted his team got a little lucky on the Mignosa goal.
Still, he called it “huge,” because his club struck quickly.
Defenceman Lukas Fischer broke his stick on a point shot, but the puck wound up in Brown’s possession. He made a slick feed to Mignosa.
That set the stage for the 5-on-4 and Laus was all alone on the left side of the goal, before notching his eighth of the season.
Dean called the 4-2 tally, “one of our nicest power-play goals all year.”
Attack head coach Scott Wray, whose team fell to 17-14-0-3, spoke of how the back-to-back power-play goals changed the game.
Wray tore into his captain, David Bedkowski, for a slashing minor he took at 17:49, 1:35 after John Banks was whistled for interference.
“Selfish penalty,” said Wray, who talked of how, in years gone by, if you didn’t like what an opponent did, you’d take his number and settle things later. “Guys have to understand the severity of the moment. He (Bedkowski) let the team down and he didn’t play another shift.”
The Soo entered the second period tied 1-1. But the Hounds blew an assignment on a defensive-zone face-off, and Pierce Mbuyi, on the powerplay, gave his team a 2-1 lead at 1:33.
Croskery, in just his seventh game, scored his first OHL goal to tie it 2-2 at 12:23. Mignosa’s drop pass led to the Oakville native rifling a shot past Matthew Koprowski high to the glove side.
“It felt amazing, extra special when it comes in a win,” Croskery said. “Game by game, I’m finding I’m getting better and better.”
Dean called Croskery “an exceptional player capable of dominating a game.”
Brown, Tobias Zvolensky and Brady Smith, shorthanded into an empty net, had the other Soo goals. Mignosa and Jordan Charron contributed a pair of assists each on a day when the Soo held a 33-23 shots advantage.
Mbuyi scored twice, both on the powerplay for the Attack. Wesley Royston and Harry Nansi were the other shooters to beat Landon Miller.
The Hounds took a series of penalties late in Sunday’s game. Dean said his players were using their sticks too much, while also noting how the Attack is adept at drawing penalties.
Meantime, by winning each of their games on a five-game homestand, the Hounds are now 10-6-1-0 at GFL Memorial Gardens.
They weren’t getting the results they wanted at home earlier in the season.
“We’re building off of the energy of the crowd, playing very physical hockey with intensity,” Mignosa said of his club’s recent stint at home.
Notes:
Asked about the growing rumours concerning Justin Cloutier possibly returning to the Hounds for an overage season, Dean said: “There is the potential for a reunion, yeah.”
The Soo played Sunday minus World Juniors hopefuls Brady Martin and Chase Reid, while Owen Sound was without netminder Carter George. The Hounds also skated without winger Travis Hayes, considered day to day after suffering an upper-body injury in Saturday’s practice.
Short a defenceman, the Hounds recalled veteran Keegan Gillen from Newmarket of the OJHL in time for Sunday’s contest.
Following Wednesday’s game in Saginaw, the Hounds are set to visit Windsor on Thursday before breaking for Christmas.
