Storm earn overtime win against Soo ahead of break
Max Namestnikov led the way for the Guelph Storm in their 5-4 victory over the Soo Greyhounds at the Sleeman Centre Saturday afternoon.
Namestnikov scored two goals and two assists, scoring the tying goal and adding an assist on the game-winner in overtime.
With the victory, Guelph’s record improves to 12-16-3-1, while Soo’s drops to 10-12-5-4. The Storm snapped their two-game losing skid and inch closer to a playoff spot in the Western Conference with 28 points. The Greyhounds have lost three of their last four games, however, they move to seventh in the West after earning a point.
The Teddy Bears came raining down onto the ice early in the game as Max Namestnikov opened the scoring 2:21 into the first period. He’s scored in back-to-back games and has 18 points in 13 games with Guelph.
Jordan D’Intino got the Greyhounds on the board with 1:56 remaining in the first frame, tying the game at one when he danced around Guelph goaltender Jacob Oster with a deke and put the puck past him on the back-handed shot. D’Intino has 10 goals in 2022-23 and has seven points in his last nine games.
However, the game didn’t remain tied for long, Braeden Bowman cashed in on a rebound off the pad of Soo goaltender Samuel Ivanov 31 seconds later, giving Guelph a lead heading into the intermission.
Guelph native, Jake Karabela added another goal for the Storm 6:02 into the second period with a power play goal. Namestnikov fired a slap-pass to Karabela, who put a back-handed shot past the glove of Ivanov. Karabela has eight goals this season and 20 in his Ontario Hockey League career.
The Greyhounds responded quickly, scoring three goals to take the lead before time expired in the middle frame.
Landen Hookey potted his fourth goal of the season under three minutes after Bowman’s goal, capitalizing on a rebound in front of the Storm net. Hookey has two points in his last three games, the goal was his fifth in the OHL.
Soo got some puck luck to tie the game at three. Marco Mignosa scored his third goal of the year after an Andrew Gibson shot deflected off Oster’s pad to Mignosa’s skate and into the back of the net.
Mark Duarte gave the Greyhounds their only lead of the game with three minutes remaining in the second period when he walked in and fired a wrist shot into the Storm net. It was Duarte’s 12th goal of the campaign, he’s registered three points in his last three games.
Namestnikov added another power play goal to tie the game at four midway through the third period when he blasted a one-timer on a pass from Valentin Zhugin. It was his second goal and third point of the game.
Braeden Bowman potted the winning-goal in overtime when he fired a wrist shot past Ivanov on the rush, bringing the Guelph crowd to their feet. The goal was Bowman’s second of the game and seventh of the season, it was his sixth career game-winner.
Namestnikov has been on fire since being acquired by Guelph, the forward has posted 10 goals and 18 points in 13 games wearing the Storm colours, helping the team as they’ve begun to turn their season around before the break.
Guelph has won three of their last five games, earning a point in four. They’ll be back in action after the break on December 28.
“It makes us enjoy the holidays a little bit more,” said Namestnikov, post-game.
“It gives us a bunch of momentum going into the second half of the season, it’s awesome.”
Next Up:
The Storm will be back in action in 11 days, when they face off against the Windsor Spitfires at the WFCU Centre on Wednesday, December 28 with the puck dropping at 7:05pm. They’ll return home to the Sleeman Centre to host the Spitfires on Friday, December 30 at 7:30pm before heading to Barrie to take on the Colts on New Years Eve. Tickets for the next home game can be found by clicking here.
Game Notes:
Soo Greyhounds 4 at Guelph Storm 5 (OT) – Status: Final OT
Saturday, December 17, 2022 – Sleeman Centre
Sault Ste. Marie 1 3 0 0 – 4
Guelph 2 1 1 1 – 5
1st Period-1, Guelph, Namestnikov 13 2:21. 2, Sault Ste. Marie, D’Intino 10 (Mignosa, Sirizzotti), 18:04. 3, Guelph, Bowman 6 (Allen, Buchinger), 18:34. Penalties-Allen Gue (tripping), 16:02.
2nd Period-4, Guelph, Karabela 8 (Namestnikov, Buchinger), 6:02 (PP). 5, Sault Ste. Marie, Hookey 4 (Toms, Mignosa), 8:40. 6, Sault Ste. Marie, Mignosa 3 (Gibson, McConnell-Barker), 12:43. 7, Sault Ste. Marie, Duarte 12 (McConnell-Barker, Gibson), 17:00 (PP). Penalties-Ryan Thompson Soo (hooking), 5:32; Virgilio Soo (tripping), 6:18; Savard Soo (roughing), 15:12; Allen Gue (roughing), 15:12; Sandhu Gue (tripping), 16:08; Murray Gue (hooking), 19:22.
3rd Period-8, Guelph, Namestnikov 14 (Zhugin, Buchinger), 8:45 (PP). Penalties-Ryan Thompson Soo (roughing), 8:39; Hookey Soo (delay of game), 11:29; Toms Soo (high sticking), 13:33.
OT Period-9, Guelph, Bowman 7 (Namestnikov), 1:37. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Sault Ste. Marie 11-10-8-0-29. Guelph 6-18-11-1-36.
Power Play Opportunities-Sault Ste. Marie 1 / 3; Guelph 2 / 5.
Goalies-Sault Ste. Marie, Ivanov 6-6-3-2 (36 shots-31 saves). Guelph, Oster 8-11-2-0 (29 shots-25 saves).
Timeouts — Timeout 00:30 Guelph@13:34
A-4,354
Referees-Aaron Neely (15), Brendan Kane (55).
Linesmen-Matt Boulby (51), Tristan Peacock (93).