Mignosa Scores Hat-Trick To Power The Soo Past Sarnia 6-3
By Carl Chimenti
Marco Mignosa (Tampa Bay Lightning) scored three goals as part of a four-point effort and the Soo Greyhounds (34-16-1-5) beat the Sarnia Sting (17-33-6-1) 6-3 Friday night at the GFL Memorial Centre.
Mignosa continued to be a thorn in the Sting’s side, scoring in a variety of ways — one shorthanded, one on the power play, and one at even strength into an empty net at 18:07 of the third period to seal the deal for the Greyhounds. Mignosa was named the first star and, combined with his five-point performance this past Monday against the Sting, was an unstoppable force.
Besides Mignosa, the Sting power play played a major difference in the game, as Sarnia finished 0/7, including a five-on-three advantage in the first period.
Kale Osipenko started in net for Sarnia and allowed four goals on 13 shots before making way for Patrick Quinlan to start the second period. Quinlan was almost perfect, allowing one goal on 15 shots.
Matthew Manza (9th), Carson Hall (2nd), and Chase Gaughan (2nd) scored for the Sting. Four players registered one assist each for Sarnia — Jacob Reese, Easton Walos, who has points in five of his last seven games (3-2-5), Logan Hawery, who has points in five of his last six games (1-6-7), and rookie defenseman Dallas Hibbert, who made his Ontario Hockey League debut and recorded his first career OHL assist and point.
Quinn McKenzie was the second star for the Soo with an assist. Noah Laus chipped in with one goal and was named the third star. Pittsburgh Penguins prospect Travis Hayes had a pair of helpers, and former Sting defenseman Lukas Fischer (St. Louis Blues) added one assist.
Sarnia out-shot the Soo 30-29 and both teams were even on the draw with 37 apiece. The Greyhounds went 1/3 on the power play. In net, Carter George (Los Angeles Kings) stopped 27 of 30 shots for the Soo.
It was a tough first period for the Sting as the Greyhounds scored four times. The Soo tallied two even-strength goals, one shorthanded, and one on the power play, out-shooting Sarnia 13-8.
Christopher Brown opened the scoring at 1:06. The Sting responded 17 seconds later, tying the game at 1:23. Reese fired a shot from the blue line that caromed off the back boards directly to Manza in front, and he buried the puck past George.
The Soo then scored the next three goals as Mignosa lit the lamp shorthanded at 4:18 and later on the power play at 18:21. Sandwiched between the two Mignosa goals was a tally from Callum Croskery.
Sarnia went 0/4 on the power play in the period, including a two-man advantage for 1:30.
The second period was much better for the Sting as they out-scored the Greyhounds 2-1 and out-shot them 14-12. Quinlan replaced Osipenko in net to start the middle frame.
Hall scored at 2:07, using his speed and making a nice move to drive the net before releasing a shot that beat George. Walos and Hawery were credited with the assists.
Gaughan followed at 6:42, streaking down the right wing, making a couple of moves, and firing a wrist shot from his forehand that beat George on the short side. Newcomer Hibbert drew the lone assist — his first career OHL point — cutting the Soo lead to one.
The Greyhounds answered at 12:34 with a goal from Laus to restore their two-goal lead. Moments later, Quinlan made his best save of the night, robbing Brady Smith with a spectacular glove stop.
