Sarnia Holds on to Beat Owen Sound 6-4 In Annual School Day Game
Sarnia Holds on to Beat Owen Sound 6-4 In Annual School Day Game
By Carl Chimenti
The Sarnia Sting bent but did not break as they beat the Owen Sound Attack 6-4, in front of 3,000 screaming kids Wednesday morning, in the third annual School Day Game, at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena. The win snapped a five game winless streak and was powered by a strong power-play, as Sarnia went three for four with the man advantage. Easton Walos had his best game in a Sting uniform with a four point day, which included a pair of goals. Walos was selected as the first star. For the second time this season Jordan Bax had a three point game, that also included two goals and he was the second star this morning. Beckham Edwards scored his third goal in the last four games and leads the team with eight goals and 15 points. Matthew Manza scored one of three power-play goals, along with Edwards and Walos. Ben Pickell, James Barr and Ryan Brown had two assists each. Captain Lukas Fischer (St. Louis Blues), Jack Van Volsen and Kase Kamzik, were also productive contributing single helpers.
Sting goaltender Evan Maillet came back strong in his first appearance in nearly a month, stopping 21 of 25 shots, including his best in the third period when he robbed Attack forward Landon Jackman, moments after Owen Sound had closed to within one goal at 5-4. Sarnia also kept Tristan Delisle off the score sheet, snapping his OHL best 18 game point streak. The Sting out-shot Owen Sound 31-25 and owned the face-off circle 32-22. Attack forward Nicholas Sykora was the third star with a goal and an assist. Pierce Mbuyi and Harry Nansi (Toronto Maple Leafs) also had multiple points. Carter George (Los Angeles Kings) turned away 20 of 23 shots in relief. A much better start for Sarnia since the previous meeting, last Wednesday morning, in Owen Sound, as the Sting erupted for three goals in the first nine minutes of the opening period. Just 13 seconds in, Bax scored the first of his two goals following a three way passing play that included Walos and Fischer. Bax scored again with his fifth of the year at 5:59, jamming the puck home from the back of the net. Pickell and Barr assisted on the goal. Edwards increased the Sarnia lead to 3-0 as he found the back of the net with the Sting on the power-play. Edwards shot was from a bad angle on the short side. Van Volsen and Brown picked up the helpers.
Past the mid-way point Sarnia was assessed with a five minute major that saw Hughston Hurt depart with a game misconduct. Owen Sound managed just a couple of shots during the major, but one of them found the back of the net. Maillet made a terrific save on theinitial shot but Mbuyi was in good position and he scored on the rebound at 15:15. Sykora and Nansi drew the assists. After the third Sarnia goal Owen Sound made a change in net with replacing starter Trenten Bennett. The New Jersey Devils prospect finished with five saves on eight shots. The Sting out-shot the Attack 10-5. Deuces were wild as both teams scored twice in an offensive second period.
For a second straight period Sarnia out-shot Owen Sound this time by a 14-9 count. Manza scored first as the puck came off the end boards at 8:39 with the second power-play goal for the Sting. It was his fourth on the season with Kamzik and Walos assisting. Walos continued his hot scoring as he netted hisfifth of the year. The puck bounced off the end boards and Walos let go a slap shot from a bad angle with his third point of the game to put the Sting up 5-1. It was Sarnia’s third goal with the man advantage. Owen Sound battled back with a pair of goals from Wesley Royston, who scored his first as a member of the Attack since being recently acquired from the Erie Otters at 16:06. Lenny Greenberg had the only assist. Cole Zurawski’s goal at 17:41 closed out the scoring in the second period from Noah Nelson.
