Hounds 2 at Storm 6
GUELPH, ONTARIO-
A failed powerplay seven minutes into the second period may have been the undoing for the Soo Greyhounds Friday Night.
Trailing the Guelph Storm 3-1, the Hounds launched a single shot on Garret Sparks during the two man advantage before eventually falling 6-2 in OHL action.
And while allowing thirteen goals in their last two games, Hounds Head Coach Sheldon Keefe explained how they’ve been two different games so far on the team’s latest trip.
“Last night (Thursday) we were loose defensively and didn’t get saves. Tonight (Friday) we were simply overwhelmed by the competitiveness and speed shown by Guelph”
Playing the Storm for the 4th and final time of the season, the Hounds knew heading in what to expect of their opponent. And rightfully so considering the two teams met a week prior in Sault Ste. Marie.
Scoreless early in the first period, RYAN SPROUL chipped the puck up the left wing to gain the step entering the Guelph zone where he sent a pass to BRANDON ALDERSON who was turned aside by a quick glove of Sparks.
COLIN MILLER kept the game scoreless when he took away a Storm chance two minutes later when Hunter Garlent split the Hounds defence before having his stick lifted to avoid the one-on-one chance with MATT MURRAY.
Guelph would open the scoring at 13:07 when Cody McNaughton backhanded a rebound past Murray for the 1-0 lead.
That lead lasted less than two minutes before NICK COUSINS made a pass from behind the net to SERGEY TOLCHINSKY who outwaited the Guelph goaltender before firing his 26th goal of the year to tie the game.
For Cousins, the assist marked his 100th point of the season and he became the first Hounds since Joe Thornton in the 1996/97 season (122 pts) to accomplish such a feat.
Late in the period, while one of their seven powerplays of the game the Hounds would be stung with a shorthanded goal against. Tanner Richard was sprung on the left wing before tucking the puck low through the legs of Murray and Guelph lead 2-1 after twenty minutes.
Five powerplays would take over the second period.
After the Hounds started the period on the man advantage, Guelph draw first blood in the period when Brock McGinn triggered a goal from a feed from behind the net at 2:34 to make it a 3-1 game.
The Hounds would later successfully kill off two consecutive penalties of their own before facing what can be looked upon as a pivotal point of the game.
After Tyler Bertuzzi was tagged with a double-minor for a check from behind, former Greyhound Brock Beukeboom was sent to the box for delay of game, and the Hounds held the two man advantage for a full two minutes.
It was there the Hounds put together a single shot on the man advantage and despite chances by SERGEY TOLCHINSKY (pad stop against) and JARED MCCANN when the play turned to 5-on-4, the Hounds were unable to pull any closer.
Not only were the locals unable to benefit, blocked shots from the Storms Brock McGinn who was playing without a stick got in the way of any of the team’s offence.
“The failures on the power play were a by-product of the lack of urgency our veteran players showed 5-on-5” commented Keefe when questioned about the team’s powerplay response.
MICHAEL SCHUMACHER, TYLER GAUDET and DYLAN STAPLES hat a late chance on the team’s 14th shot of the game but remained trailing 3-1 after forty minutes.
Less than a minute into the third the Hounds would yet again enjoy a man advantage without any success.
Scott Kosmachuk capitalized on a 2-on-1 at the 3:33 mark of the third on the powerplay and then Ryan Horvat slipped behind the Hounds defence at 6:17 before going gloveside on Murray to build the Guelph lead to 5-1.
Off an offensive zone draw, the pass back to COLIN MILLER would be fired to Sparks gloveside to make it a 5-2 game. The goal, Miller’s 19th of the year, drew assists to GAUDET and DARNELL NURSE.
Zack Mitchell tipped a left point shot at 12:59 to round out the scoring.
“Some of our most influential players think they play hard but nights like tonight clearly show they are kidding themselves and letting our team down” explained Keefe.
“For the most part our younger guys are playing hard and showing they’ll do all they can to help us win but that can only take us so far. We need everyone involved. If you’re not in, you’re out” concluded the Hounds bench boss.
As a result of a Sarnia victory on Friday, the Hounds now at 34-24-3-3 (74 pts) dropped to 7th in the Western Conference heading into the the third and final game of the weekend.
After an off-day on Saturday, the Hounds will head to the Memorial Auditorium in Kitchener Sunday to take on the Rangers.
Puck drops at 2:05 p.m., with the Bay Mills Resort & Casino’s pre-game show on Rock 101 beginning at 1:35 p.m.
RED STAR THREE STARS OF THE GAME
1- Cody McNaughton, GUE
2 – Ryan Horvat, GUE
3 – Tanner Richard
ATTENDANCE- 4,715
