Fischer Scores Late Third Period Game Winner, As Sarnia Holds Off Guelph 4-3
By Carl Chimenti
Lukas Fischer (St. Louis Blues) scored with 5:09 left in regulation to give the Sarnia Sting (17-20-3-6) a hard fought 4-3 win over the Guelph Storm (14-26-4-1) Friday night, at the Sleeman Centre.
In what might have been the biggest win of the season for the Sting, Fischer skated to his right, just inside the blue-line and let go a blast that found the back of the net at 14:51 to break a 3-3 tie, giving the Sting points in their last five games. In what was oddly enough the first meeting between the two clubs, late into the season, with three more games to follow, over the next two months, against one of the three teams that Sarnia is trying to stay ahead for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.
In the third period Guelph appeared to take a 4-3 lead on an apparent power-play goal, but the Sting challenged the call and after review the play was disallowed due to an offside ruling. From there it became a chess match with both teams coming close until Fischer’s game winner. Fisher had a two point night with an assist and was named the first star. Fischer has been on a heater of late with points in seven of his last eight games (5-5-10). The Brighton, Michigan native’s game winner was his 10th of the season, with Ryan Brown and Mitch Young assisting. Brown had a pair of assists in the game. Young (5th) and Beckham Edwards (16th) also had a goal and an assist. Edwards was voted as the third star. Liam Beamish opened the scoring for Sarnia in the first period and has points in three of his last four games (1-4-5). Nick Surzycia was outstanding in net for Sarnia making 27 saves on 30 shots.
Charlie Paquette had a goal and an assist for Guelph and was selected as the second star. Jake Karabela (Washington Capitals) and Jett Luchanko (Philadelphia Flyers) contributed a pair of helpers each. Storm goaltender Colin Ellsworth had an almost identical stat as Surzycia with 27 saves on 31 shots. Sarnia out-shot Guelph 31-30. On the power-play Sarnia was 0/2 and Guelph 2/9. The opening period was an offensive display as both teams combined for five goals with the Storm scoring the first and last goal of the first period and the Sting scoring three times in between. Guelph received an early power play and they made it count at the 54 second mark as Paquette was left all alone in front. Karabela and Luchanko assisted.
The Sting tied the game at 6:49. Beamish forced a turn-over along the boards and he came out with the puck and sent a short pass to Brown, and Brown returned the pass to Beamish and his second shot found paydirt. Sarnia scored scored twice soon after, with the goals coming 28 seconds apart. A Storm turn-over set up Edwards for an unassisted goal at 12:31 and Young made it 3-1 after receiving a cross-ice pass from Fischer. Young scored from the top of the face-off circle. Fischer and Edwards were both credited with the assists.
Lev Katzin scored a second power-play goal for the Storm to close the gap 3-2 after the first twenty minutes, late at 18:32, from Luchanko and Paquette. The shots favored the Storm 14-9. The second period produced only one goal as the Storm scored the equalizer at 14:19 on an even strength marker from Ryan McGuire with Karabella drawing the lone assist. Beamish came close to scoring for Sarnia as he found himself alone, forcing Ellsworth to make a ten bell glove save. Surzycia came up with his best save late in the period as he denied McGuire. The Sting also killed off a double minor in the middle frame as they out-shot Guelph 14-8.
