‘Very hungry’ Greyhounds tie series
by Peter Ruicci (Independent Media | Photo by Natalie Shaver
Significant resolve turned into significant results for the Soo Greyhounds on Saturday.
Adamant about not falling into a 2-0 hole – “We were beyond focused and determined,” said head coach John Dean – the Hounds rode Jordan D’Intino’s hat trick to a 5-2 victory over the Saginaw Spirit in front of 4,929 at the Dow Event Center.
“I don’t think there was a chance we were losing that game,” said D’Intino, whose club tied the best-of-seven, Western Conference semifinal at a win each, going into Game 3 on Monday (7:07 p.m.) at GFL Memorial Gardens. “We were very hungry. We knew how much that game meant.”
“We were really focused. Anytime you have the opportunity to steal one on the road, you have a determined group of guys,” added winger Justin Cloutier, whose club took advantage of Spirit miscues and timely special teams efforts to grab a much-needed victory. “If we play hard, I don’t think any team can beat us.”
Leading 2-1 after 20 minutes, the Soo killed off a three-minute power play midway through the second frame.
And then late in the period, on a power play of their own, Owen Allard spun around in the right circle, fired and beat Spirit netminder Owen Lalonde. The low shot made it 3-1 at the 15:16 mark.
“That put us up by two goals and was huge for us,” said Dean.
“It changed the momentum in the game,” added D’Intino, who leads his team with five playoff goals.
The Saginaw power play was the result of a checking-to-the-head major and game misconduct assessed to Hounds captain Bryce McConnell-Barker.
That followed a collision between the veteran centre and Saginaw netminder Andrew Oke behind the Spirit goal at the 8:32 mark.
A shaken Oke left the ice and didn’t return. He was replaced by Lalonde.
Asked if he agreed with the call on McConnell-Barker, Dean said no.
“He’s clearly trying to get out of the way. It’s clearly incidental contact,” the coach added. “He hit the breaks as he’s going around the net. We don’t agree (with the call), but it is what it is.”
The major penalty will be reviewed by the OHL and the Hounds captain faces the possibility of supplemental punishment.
“There’s always potential for anything to happen,” said Dean, who pointed to the fact McConnell-Barker is anything but a player who commits infractions worthy of suspension.
On the Spirit television postgame show, Saginaw head coach Chris Lazary said he “didn’t like them running our goalie, but I do respect the work ethic they had tonight.”
Jorian Donovan and Braden Hache of the Spirit and the Soo’s Gavin Hayes were all whistled for roughing minors on the same stoppage as the McConnell-Barker major. That left the teams to skate 4-on-4 for two minutes before Saginaw began its three-minute power play.
“Our kill in general has been exceptional,” said Dean. “It’s a source of motivation and momentum for us.”
The Greyhounds opened the scoring 4:45 into the game when Jacob Frasca took the puck from Owen Beck in the right-wing corner. Frasca’s perfect backhand feed found Julian Fantino in front and the veteran winger ripped a one-timer past Oke high to the glove side.
The home team tied it on the power play just under 12-minutes later. Zayne Parekh fired from the top of the left circle, beating a screened Charlie Schenkel high to the blocker side.
But the Hounds got that goal back under two-minutes later. D’Intino poked the puck past Saginaw’s James Guo at the Spirit blueline. Skating in on the right side, the overage winger went low glove hand to give his team a 2-1 advantage at 18:12.
With the score 3-1 in the third, Nic Sima converted a three-way passing play, scoring high to the blocker side at the 6:58 mark.
But D’Intino redirected a Cloutier feed past Lalonde to restore the visitors’ two-goal lead midway through the period.
And the London, Ont., native took a slick feed from Kirill Kudryavtsev, skated in on a breakaway and made it 5-2 with 3:22 left in regulation.
“Obviously, a playoff hat trick feels great,” said D’Intino. “Anyone is going to be happy.”
On a night when the home side held a 27-21 edge in shots, Cloutier, Kudryavtsev and Hayes contributed two assists each.
“I loved the way our guys played,” said Dean. “We managed the puck better than in Game 1 and we obviously capitalized on our chances. I loved our forecheck and attention to detail in the defensive zone.”
The coach also praised Schenkel, describing him as “extremely solid and calm. The first save he made was monstrous.”
Lazary wasn’t at all pleased with his team’s performance.
“We’re going to throw this one out and move on,” he said. “It wasn’t a good game for us clearly. By far, and it’s not even close, the Soo was the better team.”
Lazary also spoke of how Lalonde, “has to be better.”
When asked, Cloutier said the Hounds are feeling good as the series shifts to the Sault.
“We need to play our style for 60 minutes,” he said of Game 3. “If we play hard like we did tonight, I’m confident.”
Notes:
Winger Jack Beck missed his fifth consecutive game on Saturday, after suffering an upper-body injury in Game 1 of the Soo’s four-game sweep of Guelph.
When asked, Dean spoke of how he’s confident the overage is getting close.
“There’s a chance he plays in Game 3, and there’s a chance for Game 4,” the coach said. “He’s at the point where, at any moment, he tells us he’s good to go.”
Game 4 in the Hounds-Spirit series is set for Wednesday (7:07 p.m.) at GFL Memorial Gardens. The fifth contest is slated for Friday in Saginaw (7:05 p.m.).
Meantime, London stopped Kitchener 5-1 on Saturday to take a 2-0 lead in that best-of-seven, Western Conference semifinal series.
Game 3 is Tuesday in Kitchener.
