Storm fall to Steelheads

In the tail end of a three-in-three weekend, the Guelph Storm dropped their seventh straight loss in a 5-2 final, hosting the Mississauga Steelheads on Sunday afternoon.

Already running with a short line-up missing Ryan Merkley, Cam Hillis, and Tag Bertuzzi heading into the match-up with James McEwan back filling in on defence, the Storm saw Dmitri Samorukov exit the game early near the beginning of the second period due to a match-penalty on a slew-foot call, followed by Mason Primeau in the third.

The Storm saw the contest slip away in the middle frame as the Steelheads made a 2-1 score into a 5-1 game with a period left to play.

Mark Shoemaker and Zach Poirier had the Storm’s only goals, while the Steelheads’ Cole Carter did most of the damage, registering a hat-trick in the win.

Between the pipes, Anthony Popovich turned away 26 of 31 attempts through two periods of play before being relieved by rookie Nico Daws in the third period, who made nine saves.

Emanuel Vella saw 20 shots, turning aside 18 for the Steelheads.

To start, Carter potted his first of the contest 4:24 into the first, with Shoemaker responding for the Storm just short of three minutes later with an unassisted marker for his first of the season.

At the 11:34 point of the first, Carter struck again, making it a 2-1 game heading into the middle frame.

Just 27 seconds into the second, Carter completed the hat-trick with the eventual game winner, recording his 20th of the season to extend the Steelheads’ lead to two.

Nearing the halfway point of the frame, Owen Tippett made it 4-1 for the visitors, putting up his 29th tally of the year, while Trent Fox was next with under four minutes left in the second to make it a 5-1 game heading into the third.

Poirier was the lone goal scorer in the final period, grabbing his sixth of the season to round out the 5-2 final.

The Storm look ahead to another three-in-three next weekend, first hosting the Flint Firebirds at the Sleeman Centre on Friday night.

Mississauga Steelheads 5 at Guelph Storm 2 – Status: Final
Sunday, February 25, 2018 – Sleeman Centre

Mississauga 2 3 0 – 5
Guelph 1 0 1 – 2

1st Period-1, Mississauga, Carter 18 (McLeod, Fox), 4:24. 2, Guelph, Shoemaker 1   7:12. 3, Mississauga, Carter 19 (McLeod, Hague), 11:34. Penalties-No Penalties

2nd Period-4, Mississauga, Carter 20 (O’Grady, Hague), 0:27. 5, Mississauga, Tippett 29 (Hague, Schwindt), 9:13. 6, Mississauga, Fox 19 (McLeod, Gibson), 16:11. Penalties-Samorukov Gue (match-slew foot), 1:52; O’Grady Miss (slashing), 19:32.

3rd Period–7, Guelph, Poirier 6 (Lalonde, Toropchenko), 7:18. Penalties-Hardy Miss (fight-inst. upon), 13:39; Primeau Gue (instigator), 13:39; Primeau Gue (fighting, 10-min. misc.), 15:39.

Shots on Goal-Mississauga 11-20-9-40. Guelph 7-3-10-20.
Power Play Opportunities-Mississauga 0 / 2; Guelph 0 / 1.
Goalies-Mississauga, Vella 15-9-1-0 (20 shots-18 saves). Guelph, Popovich 26-18-3-3 (31 shots-26 saves); Daws 1-6-0-1 (9 shots-9 saves).
A-4,019
Referees-Mike Hamilton (8), Joe Monette (25).
Linesmen-Dustin McCrank (68), Brady Fagan (70).