Game Stories: A night to remember for Storm rookies
It was a historic night for the Guelph Storm as they faced off against their highway six rivals, the Owen Sound Attack. Anthony Popovich made his first career OHL start, and earned his first career OHL win, while, Albert Michnac scored his first point assisting on Garrett McFadden’s first-period goal, and would later score his first career OHL goal.
Popovich had no time to ease into his first start, as the Attack put on a heavy offensive attack as they outshot the Storm 15-9. However, it was the Storm who got on the board first when James McEwan found a streaking McFadden, who fired a wrist shot over the glove of Riley Daniels.
In the dying minutes of the first period, McEwan found himself in the penalty box for cross checking and the Attack capitalized, when Petrus Palmu, blasted a shot from the point to tie the game at 1-1.
The Storm came out swinging in the second frame and found the go-ahead goal in the first minute of the Period. Hotchkiss buried the pass from Isaac Ratcliffe on the odd man rush. However, it was Popovich, who was the biggest star of the period stopping all 23 of Owen Sound shots in the period, including some big saves that left the Bayshore faithful in disbelief. The Attack would go on to outshoot the Storm, 23-11 in the second period.
Despite heavily outshooting the Storm for the first two periods, the Attack were down by a goal and were prepared to throw everything they had at the rookie Storm goaltender. Yet the Storm would again score early to take the 3-1 lead, when Givani Smith made a terrific drive towards the net before passing it over to Michnac who potted his first career OHL goal.
At the midway point of the third period, the Storm found themselves in penalty trouble and sophomore defenseman, Markus Phillips, scored to pull Owen Sound within one. Phillips goal ties his marker set last year during his rookie season.
The Attack would continue to apply tremendous pressure, outshooting Guelph 17-5, but in the dying seconds of the game, Austin Hall fired a bank shot from his own end into the Owen Sound empty net, securing the 4-2 win for the Storm.
Final shots in the game were 55-25 for Owen Sound.
With the win, the Storm improves to 3-1-0-0, while the Attack falls to 1-3-0-0.
Guelph is back in action next Friday night when they return home to battle conference rivals, the Windsor Spitfires for a 7:30 PM matchup. Tickets are still available for Friday and can be purchased by calling or visiting the Guelph Storm Box Office at 519-837-9690 or online here.
GAME NOTES:
- Anthony Popovich made his OHL debut tonight, and earned his first career OHL win with 53 saves
- Albert Michnas earned his first career OHL assist in the first period and later scored his first career OHL goal
- Matthew Hotchkiss extends his point streak to 4 games
- Givani Smith picked up an assist in his 2016-17 OHL debut
Guelph Storm 4 at Owen Sound Attack 2 – Status: Final
Saturday, October 1, 2016 – Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre
Guelph 1 1 2 – 4
Owen Sound 1 0 1 – 2
1st Period-1, Guelph, McFadden 1 (McEwan, Michnac), 10:29. 2, Owen Sound, Palmu 2 (Centorame, Szypula), 19:23 (PP). Penalties-Centorame Os (interference), 14:49; McEwan Gue (cross checking), 18:57.
2nd Period-3, Guelph, Hotchkiss 3 (Ratcliffe, Schnarr), 1:06. Penalties-Carroll Gue (tripping), 9:19; Hall Gue (check from behind), 15:04; Burghardt Gue (boarding), 19:29.
3rd Period-4, Guelph, Michnac 1 (Smith), 5:00. 5, Owen Sound, Phillips 3 (Sushko, Friend), 10:31 (PP). 6, Guelph, Hall 1 19:50 (EN). Penalties-Palmu Os (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 7:34; McFadden Gue (holding), 7:55; McFadden Gue (elbowing), 10:16.
Shots on Goal-Guelph 9-11-5-25. Owen Sound 15-23-17-55.
Power Play Opportunities-Guelph 0 / 2; Owen Sound 2 / 6.
Goalies-Guelph, Popovich 1-0-0-0 (55 shots-53 saves). Owen Sound, Daniels 1-1-0-0 (24 shots-21 saves).
A-2,750
Referees-Quincy Evans (7), Jesse Wilmot (17).
Linesmen-Michael Johnstone (41), Fraser Williams (71).
3 STARS
- GUE Anthony Popovich
- OS Markus Phillips
- GUE Garrett McFadden
