Game Stories: McFadden’s two-goals lifts Storm over Wolves

Friday night marked the second last game of 2016 for the Guelph Storm, as they traveled north to square off with the Sudbury Wolves. It was a thrilling contest between the two teams, who needed extra time to find a winner. The Wolves started veteran netminder Zach Bowman, while the Storm stayed with the hot hand, as Anthony Popovich picked up his third straight win in the 4-3 thriller.

The cross-conference match-up was off to a slow start as both teams tried to feel each other out before making their first strike. But it was the visiting Storm who opened the scoring on Nic Sicoly’s second goal of the season, with just over four minutes left in the period.

As the period came to a close, captain Garrett McFadden beat Bowman to give the Storm a two-goal lead, despite being outshot 10-9 by the home team.

Entering the second, the Wolves wasted no time in cutting into the Storm’s lead as Michael Pezzetta scored just four minutes not the period.

The two-goal lead was quickly restored, however, as Givani Smith potted his 18^th of the year just five minutes later. Bowman would exit the game following Smith’s goal due to an injury, and sophomore goalie, Jake McGrath would come in as the replacement.

Not out of it yet, the Wolves continued to claw their way back into the game pressuring the young Storm netminder, but Popovich made some tremendous saves to hold the Storm lead.

The Wolves attack would find some success as they got one back with just under five minutes left in the period, on Shane Bultika’s fourth of the year.

As the second period came to a close, the Storm held a 3-2 lead while being outshot 27-24.

Hungry for the equalizer the Wolves got the puck deep and put on a relentless attack. Despite some big saves from Popovich, the home team would tie it up just six minutes into the period on Ryan Valentini’s 10^th of the year.

Both teams continued to trade chances, but both defences and netminders played strong, carrying the tie to the end of regulation. The Wolves dominated the shot category 43-35 over the three periods.

Three periods solved nothing, and both teams headed to overtime for their second straight time respectively.

It didn’t take long to find the winner, as McFadden buried his second of the game just one minute into extra time, on the first shot of the period.

Popovich made 40 saves for his third straight win, while Jake McGrath made 14 saves in the loss.

With the win, the Storm improve to 14-18-2-1, while the Wolves fall to 15-18-3-0 but now sit tied with the Battalion at the top of the Central Division.

GAME NOTES:

• Anthony Popovich has now won three straight.
• Ryan Merkley extended his point streak to seven games.
• Nick Deakin-Poot extended his point streak to three games, and has tied his point total from his rookie season, in 36 fewer games.
• Garrett McFadden recorded his first multi-goal game of his OHL career.
• The Storm and Wolves meet again on January 8, in the final matchup of the season series.

Guelph Storm 4 (OT) at Sudbury Wolves 3 – Status: Final OT
Friday, December 30, 2016 – Sudbury Community Arena

Guelph 2 1 0 1 – 4
Sudbury 0 2 1 0 – 3

1st Period-1, Guelph, Sicoly 2 (Ralph, Deakin-Poot), 15:55. 2, Guelph, McFadden 6 (Merkley, Ratcliffe), 19:37. Penalties-Ralph Gue (hooking), 6:19; Capobianco Sby (hooking), 13:21; Pezzetta Sby (tripping), 17:35.

2nd Period-3, Sudbury, Pezzetta 5 (Pilon, Pilon), 4:12. 4, Guelph, Smith 18 (McEwan, Merkley), 9:02. 5, Sudbury, Bulitka 4 (Jamieson, Dunda), 15:08. Penalties-Hotchkiss Gue (hooking), 9:49.

3rd Period-6, Sudbury, Valentini 10 (Bulitka, Lyszczarczyk), 6:56. Penalties-Ralph Gue (delay of game), 7:15; Pilon Sby (high sticking), 12:13; McFadden Gue (hooking), 13:20.

OT Period-7, Guelph, McFadden 7   1:16. Penalties-No Penalties

Shots on Goal-Guelph 9-15-10-1-35. Sudbury 10-17-16-0-43.
Power Play Opportunities-Guelph 0 / 3; Sudbury 0 / 4.
Goalies-Guelph, Popovich 6-6-0-0 (43 shots-40 saves). Sudbury, Bowman 8-12-1-0 (20 shots-17 saves); McGrath 7-6-2-0 (15 shots-14 saves).
A-3,510
Referees-Mike Hamilton (8), Scott Ferguson (35).
Linesmen-Kevin Keyes (43), Dustin McCrank (68).

3 STARS:

1. GUE Garrett McFadden
2. SBY Shane Bulitka
3. GUE Givani Smith