Otters take down Storm on Family Day

 

by Matt Pelkey

Goals are hard to come by for the Guelph Storm as of late.

Guelph dropped a 6-1 decision to the Erie Otters Monday afternoon at the Sleeman Centre and have now scored just four goals in its last three games.

Liam Stevens scored the lone goal for the Storm (11-36-4-2) while goaltender Michael Giugovaz took the loss. Jake Marchment scored a hat-trick to lead the Otters (42-10-1-0), who won for the first time in its last four tries.

The Storm have now lost four straight games.

On Monday afternoon, it wouldn’t take long for the visitors to get on the scoresheet.

On an early power play, Marchment scored his first of three goals when he wristed a shot from the slot past Storm goaltender Giugovaz as Erie took a 1-0 lead.

The Otters would make it 2-0 just 1:07 later when Ryan Strome found himself alone in the slot. Alex DeBrincat found Strome wide open in front of Giugovaz when Erie’s leading scorer snapped a wrist shot under the glove of the Guelph netminder into the left side of the net.

The Storm would settle down and get within a goal 5:07 after surrendering two goals in the first 1:56 of the contest.

Stevens capitalized on an Otters giveaway behind goaltender Devin Williams to make it 2-1. After the puck slipped off an Erie defender’s stick, Stevens collected the puck and made a nifty backhand-forehand deke before tucking the puck into the net around a sprawling Williams.

When the horn sounded to signal the end of the first 20 minutes, the Otters had a 2-1 lead while outshooting the Storm 12-10.

What looked like was going to be a scoreless middle frame, although multiple power play opportunities for both teams, changed with only 2:54 to go in the period.

Marchment scored on a one-timed slapshot in stride skating down the left wing after a nice cross-ice pass from DeBrincat to make it 3-1. The puck beat Giugovaz past his glove as Marchment registered his second of the afternoon.

In the third and final period, Erie added more insurance.

Standing at the right half-boards in the Guelph zone, Nick Betz one-timed a long rebound shot past Giugovaz off an Erik Cernak shot to give the Otters a 4-1 advantage.

Vanya Lodnia made it 5-1 when he deflected a Kyle Maksimovich shot while cutting towards the Storm net.

Marchment would get the hat-trick with 28 seconds remaining in regulation with a shot from the point that sailed over the right pad of Giugoivaz as Erie snapped a three-game skid by defeating Guelph 6-1.

Final shots were 28-23.

Giugovaz made 22 saves in the loss while Williams turned away 22 shots for the win.

The Storm will hit the ice next on Friday, February 19 when they welcome the Owen Sound Attack. Puck drop is slated for 7:30 p.m. at the Sleeman Centre.

 

GAME NOTES

– Tonight’s game is the fourth of five meetings between the two teams this season. Erie currently leads the season series 4-0.

– Guelph has now lost 4 straight games.

– The Storm have scored just four goals in their last three games – all losses.

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Erie Otters 6 at Guelph Storm 1 – Status: Final
Monday, February 15, 2016 – Sleeman Centre

Erie 2 1 3 – 6
Guelph 1 0 0 – 1

1st Period-1, Erie, Marchment 18 (Lodnia, Sambrook), 0:49 (PP). 2, Erie, Strome 29 (DeBrincat), 1:56. 3, Guelph, Stevens 4   6:49. Penalties-Smith Gue (inter. on goaltender), 0:40; Bricknell Gue (slashing), 3:39; Girhiny Er (check from behind), 7:28; Marchment Er (tripping), 8:04.

2nd Period-4, Erie, Marchment 19 (DeBrincat, Byrne), 17:06. Penalties-Deakin-Poot Gue (holding), 3:14; Betz Er (slashing), 6:56; Bricknell Gue (high sticking), 10:03; Garcia Gue (check from behind), 12:30; Burghardt Gue (high sticking), 18:04.

3rd Period-5, Erie, Betz 16 (Cernak), 1:58. 6, Erie, Lodnia 13 (Maksimovich, Raddysh), 9:36. 7, Erie, Marchment 20 (Byrne, Sambrook), 19:22 (PP). Penalties-Bricknell Gue (slashing), 5:49; DeBrincat Er (hooking), 10:12; DeBrincat Er (slashing), 12:56; Garcia Gue (cross checking), 15:10; Smith Gue (slashing), 18:19; Giugovaz Gue (throwing stick), 19:32.

Shots on Goal-Erie 12-10-7-29. Guelph 10-7-6-23.
Power Play Opportunities-Erie 2 / 8; Guelph 0 / 5.
Goalies-Erie, Williams 33-5-1-0 (23 shots-22 saves). Guelph, Giugovaz 13-10-5-2 (29 shots-23 saves).
A-4,900
Referees-T.J. Foster (29), Darryl Wolfe (6).
Linesmen-Jean-Francois Menard (52), Dave Pfohl (96). 

 

3 STARS

1) ER Jake Marchment – 3 goals

2) ER Alex DeBrincat – 2 assists

3) GUE Liam Stevens – 1 goal