Game Preview: Storm welcome Spitfires to open three-in-three
The Guelph Storm are set to kick off their third three-in-three of the season hosting Western Conference rivals, the Windsor Spitfires on Friday night, for a 7:30 PM puck drop, sponsored by Wawanesa Insurance.
Click here to purchase tickets to Tuesday night’s game versus the Windsor Spitfires.
The Guelph Storm (14-19-2-2, 5th Midwest) will be hungry to rebound from a disappointing effort last time out. The Storm have earned a point in four of their past five contests and have quickly come into striking distance in the hunt for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Breaking down the visiting team, the Windsor Spitfires enter Friday night firmly entrenched in the race for the top seed in the Western Conference. Keeping pace with the top teams in the league Windsor has won two straight, and are 7-2-0-1 in their past 10. The hosts of the 2017 Memorial Cup will look to keep rolling as they visit Guelph for their final time this season.
In their first matchup of the season, Windsor escaped the Sleeman Centre with a narrow 5-4 victory over the Storm.
Puck drop is slated for 7:30 PM.
Last Matchup
Oct. 7: Guelph 4 vs Windsor 5
Player Watch
- Guelph Storm
Storm rookie centre, Nate Schnarr has found his groove since returning from injury on December 30. After missing over a month of the season due to injury, Schnarr has quickly become the impact forward that he was prior to missing time. The Waterloo native has scored in back-to-back games and will have the opportunity to match his career high point streak of three games on Friday night. In total, the six-foot-three, 180-pound centre has 10 goals and six assists for 16 points in 24 games played, including a goal against the Windsor Spitfires on October 7.
Another Storm forward with back-to-back goals is rookie Barret Kirwin. The Barrie native notched his first career goal on New Year’s Eve against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds and followed that up with a tally against the Kitchener Rangers. In total, the five-foot-eight, 182-pound centre has two goals and two assists for four points in 33 games and is set to face the Spitfires for the first time.
Staying with the Storm rookies, defenceman Ryan Merkley was just named the OHL Rookie of the Month for the second time this season. In the month of December, Merkley has four goals and nine assists for 13 points in 10 games. The Mississauga native wasted no time recording his first point of 2017 picking up an assist on Nate Schnarr’s goal last Tuesday. In total, the five-foot-11, 164-pound defender has six goals and 23 assists for 29 points in 31 games.
- Windsor Spitfires
The Spitfires offence is led by a veteran centre, Aaron Luchuk. The Kingston native is putting together another strong season and is set to surpass his career high’s set last season. The five-foot-10, 180-pound forward has three points in his past five games and will be looking to get back to the form he’s had for the greater part of this season. In total, Luchuk has 14 goals and 18 assists for 32 points in 36 games, including two assists against the Storm on October 7.
A welcomed addition the Spitfires lineup is Chicago Blackhawks prospect, Graham Knott. Acquired on November 12 from the Niagara Ice Dogs, Knott has added another offensive threat in the deep Spitfires roster. After failing to match his career highs in goals and points last season, the Holland Landing native has been red hot in his fourth OHL season with a total of eight goals and 20 assists for 28 points in 27 games. Knott has just one goal in six games against the Storm.
Gearing up for the 2017 Memorial Cup, the Spitfires also acquired New York Rangers Prospect, Sean Day. The veteran defenceman is having a breakout year offensively, already setting a career high in goals scored, and is chasing down his points total set in the 2014-15 season. Since joining the Spitfires early in the season, Day has eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points in 26 games. In total Day has 11 goals and 12 assists for 23 points in 31 games, including a goal and an assist in his lone game against the Storm while still with the Mississauga Steelheads.
GAME NOTES
- Friday night will be the second of four meetings between the two teams and the last time Windsor will visit the Sleeman Centre this season.
- The Storm have a combined record of 3-2-1 in three-in-three weekends this season.
- Nate Schnarr has scored in back-to-back games.
- Barret Kirwin has scored in back-to-back games.
- Chris Playfair (Waterloo, ON) will be playing close to home on Friday night.
Upcoming Events…
- This week the Storm play at home Friday, January 6 against the Memorial Cup hosts Windsor Spitfires and on Sunday, January 8, versus the Sudbury Wolves, giving Storm fans the chance to take advantage of the Weekend Pass ticket deal! For more information on the Weekend Pass deal, click here!
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The 2016-17 Season is proudly presented by RBC.
