RECAP; Thompson powers Hounds to fourth straight win

Story by soogreyhounds.com | Photo by Bob Davies

Heading into Saturday Night the Soo Greyhounds wanted to limit their oppositions chances, and play a sound game defensively.
After posting a 5-1 win over the Sudbury Wolves, you can consider it mission accomplished.

The two Northern Ontario rivals were meeting for the 10th time of the season, and second in twenty four hours when they hit the ice at the GFL Memorial Gardens in Sault Ste. Marie.
For the Greyhounds, they were looking for the valuable points in the Western Conference standings, while for the Wolves – their backs were to the walls in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

It was the visitors who opened the scoring just over two-minutes (2:08) into the first period when David Goyette’s initial shot produced a rebound off Hounds’ netminder Tucker Tynan that Kocha Delic batted out of the air for a 1-0 Sudbury lead.

The game would would draw even late in the period on the Hounds first powerplay of the game and the start of what would be five unanswered goals by the home side.
Jack Thompson’s low shot beat Mitchell Weeks at 17:14 for a 1-1 tie.
For Thompson the goal was his 20th of the season and extended his goal-scoring streak to four games, while the defenceman has now connected in five of his last six games played.

Just 1:21 later the Greyhounds took their first lead of the game, and one they wouldn’t relinquish, when Tye Kartye skated over the Sudbury line, paused before moving the puck to Bryce McConnell-Barker who send the puck for a perfect redirection by Justin Cloutier in front resulting in a 2-1 lead for the home side after twenty minutes.

A dominant second period was on deck, and while the middle frame held a good pace overall, it was the Greyhounds who tilted things in their favour in a well-controlled period.

The lone goal of the second period game with 2:22 to go, when Keegan McMullen won a draw in the Sudbury zone to Kalvyn Watson’s quick release caught a piece of the Sudbury goaltender but increased the Hounds lead to 3-1 after two periods.

Specialty teams capped off the game as the Hounds scored two more powerplay goals in the third to increase their lead.
At 12:34 Rory Kerins redirected a Jack Thompson shot for his 41st goal of the season, and a 4-1 lead.

Then with 5:58 to play in regulation, Thompson capped off his 3-point night notching his 2nd goal of the night, and 21st of the season in a 5-1 final.

The Greyhounds outshot Sudbury 41-15, which represents a tie for the lowest shots against the Hounds this season.
(they previously held Owen Sound to just 15 back on January 15).

Specialty teams saw the Soo go 3-for-4 on the powerlay and 2-for-2 on the penalty kill.

With the victory, the Greyhounds improve to 37-21-6-1, good for 81 points along with guaranteeing the club home ice in at least the opening round of the upcoming OHL Playoffs.
They remain two points behind the third place Flint Firebirds, who picked up a win on Saturday and will use their ‘game-in-hand’ on the Hounds on Sunday when they host the Sarnia Sting.

To view the OHL Box Score CLICK HERE.

ATTENDANCE:  3,801

PERMANENT ELECTRIC THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1 – Jack Thompson (SOO) – 2G, 1A
2- Rory Kerins (SOO) – 1G, 1A
3- Ryan O’Rourke (SOO) – 2A

FINAL HOME GAME OF THE REGULAR SEASON
The Greyhounds cap off the home portion of their regular season this coming Wednesday, April 13th when they conclude their season series with the Sudbury Wolves.
Game time at the GFL Memorial Gardens is set for 7:07 PM.

Tickets are available at the SK Group Box Office, inside the GFL Memorial Gardens, Monday and Tuesday 10 AM to 5 PM, Wednesday 10 AM through game time or online, anytime at www.gflgardens.ca

RELATED STORY
• Special Teams come through for Greyhounds (Brad Coccimiglio – Sootoday.com)