Cloutier Scores Shoot-Out Winner, Soo Defeat Sarnia 5-4
By Carl Chimenti
David Holub tied the game late at 15:43 and Justin Cloutier scored the only goal in the shoot-out and the Soo Greyhounds escaped with a 5-4 win over the Sarnia Sting, Sunday afternoon, at the GFL Memorial Gardens.
The hockey gods were not kind to the Sting as they hit two goal post in the shoot-out – from Alessandro Di lorio and Tyson Doucette, and saw their three game winning streak come to an end. Still, the Northern Ontario road trip was a big success for the Sting as they took five of a possible six points and now return home for the annual School Day Game in partnership with the Progressive Auto Group, Wednesday morning, (puck drop at 10:30am) against the Flint Firebirds.
James Barr scored his first of the year in the third period at 8:44 and it held up until the Greyhounds scored the equalizer late to send the game into overtime. Lukas Fischer (St. Louis Blues) had a goal and an assist and was selected as the second star. With the two points, Fischer ran his point streak to four games (2-5-7). Carter Kostuch scored for the second straight game. Easton Wainwright’s goal gave him points in four of his last five games (3-3-6). Jack Bodin, Kaeden Johnston, Alessandro Di lorio and Beckham Edwards had one assist each. Johnston has four assists in his last six games. Edwards extended his point streak to four games (1-3-4) and has secured points in eight of his last nine games (5-5-10). Di lorio has a current five game point streak (2-5-7). Nick Surzycia played a great game stopping 26 of 30 shots in net for the Sting. Sarnia out-shoot the Soo 36-30 and was better in the face-off dot 36-30 as well.
The Greyhounds Carson Andrew was the first star and Travis Hayes the third star, both had a goal and an assist. Landon Miller (Detroit Red Wings) turned away 32 of 36 shots for the Soo. Erik Muxlow contributed a pair of assists for the Soo. The Sting scored a power-play (1/3) goal for the fourth straight game. Sarnia leads the OHL with a 90.6% on the penalty kill as they kept the Soo 0/2, on the man-advantage. Sarnia fell behind early on a Carson Andrew goal, 26 seconds into the game, but the Sting regrouped and came on strong scoring twice to take a 2-1 lead after the opening period.
The first Sting goal was a gift as a Soo defender tried to make a pass from behind the net, but Kostuch was the only player there and he came up with the puck, drove to the side of the net and jammed it into the cage for his third goal of the season, unassisted, past Miller at 5:45. The second Sarnia goal came at 15:25. Fischer let go a wrist shot from the point and Miller got a pad on the shot which created a rebound and the puck came to Wainwright, who banged it home his fourth of the year. Bodin also drew an assist on the scoring play. Shots were tied at nine apiece.
In the second period, goals from Hayes and Charlie Hilton 63 seconds apart put the Greyhounds in front, with the goals coming at 6:58 and 8:01 respectively. But the Greyhounds fell into penalty trouble on a hit from behind from Caeden Carlisle, who was assessed a five minute major and a game misconduct. Sarnia did not score in the first three minutes of the power-play, but the Soo was then called for a minor penalty giving the Sting a 5 on 3. Sarnia capitalized scoring at 15:50 to tie the hockey game at 3-3 after forty minutes of play. Fisher from the high slot took a pass from Di lorio and he one timed the shot upstairs past Miller. Edwards also assisted on the tying goal. Sarnia out-shot the Soo 14-6.
