Friday Highlights: Storm stops Erie’s record run

 

GUELPH 4 – ERIE 2
Rookie goaltender Anthony Popovich made 44 saves as the Guelph Storm stopped the Erie Otters’ franchise record winning streak at 14 games with a 4-2 win on home ice. Veteran winger James McEwan (14, 15) opened the scoring with a pair of goals before Nate Schnarr (14) and Liam Hawel (8) would later add goals for the Storm. Rookie blueliner Ryan Merkley and Czech winger Albert Michnac each had a pair of assists as the Storm won despite being outshot 46-32. Kyle Pettit (24) and Alex DeBrincat (52) provided Erie goals in their first loss since January 15th. The Otters remain four points up on London for first place in the Midwest Division.
GAME CENTRE

 

SAULT STE. MARIE 6 – SARNIA 5
The Sarnia Sting put on a late push but it was too little, too late as the Soo Greyhounds held on to a 6-5 home ice victory. Boston Bruins prospect Zach Senyshyn registered three assists as Sault Ste. Marie goals came from six different scorers. Boris Katchouk (27) scored the game winner with 8:56 left in the third period while Noah Carroll (5), Tim Gettinger (27), Hayden Verbeek (11), Mac Hollowell (2) and Bobby MacIntyre (23) also lit the lamp. The Hounds outshot the Sting 45-27 in the see-saw affair that saw Sarnia goals from Drake Rymsha (25), Anthony Salinitri (21), Franco Sproviero (13), Jeff King (10) and Drake Rymsha (26). King finished the night with a goal and three assists but the Sting couldn’t keep pace with the Hounds who claim their 40th win and lead the West Division by three points. Sarnia has now lost four straight contests and holds a five point lead on the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
GAME CENTRE

 

OTTAWA 3 – OSHAWA 2
Rookie forward Kody Clark (5, 6) scored twice to lead the Ottawa 67’s past the visiting Oshawa Generals 3-2. Ottawa snaps out of a seven game slide, getting back in the win column with 27 saves from goaltender Olivier Lafreniere. Artur Tyanulin (22) had a goal and an assist while defenceman Noel Hoefenmayer and sophomore forward Austen Keating each recorded a pair of helpers. Oshawa rookie Allan McShane (14, 15) provided both Generals goals in the loss. Oshawa trails first place Peterborough by two points in the East Division while the 67’s gain two much-needed points as they draw even with the Niagara IceDogs for seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
GAME CENTRE

 

SUDBURY 6 – BARRIE 5
Owen Lalonde’s (1) first OHL goal would prove to be the game winner as the Sudbury Wolves outlasted the Barrie Colts 6-5 on home ice. Down 3-1, the Wolves scored four times uninterrupted to get back into the game, one that would come down to the last half of the third period before a winner was decided. Minnesota Wild prospect Dmitry Sokolov (41, 42) scored twice while veterans Aiden Jamieson (3) and Liam Dunda (9) each had a goal and two assists. Macauley Carson (24) also scored for the fifth time in the last three games as the Wolves outshot the Colts 40-25, improving to 6-1 against Barrie on the season. Barrie’s Ben Hawerchuk (11, 12) had two goals and an assist in the loss while Kyle Heitzner (5), Anthony Stefano (19) and Jason Willms (13) also capitalized. The win puts Sudbury five points up on seventh place Ottawa and Niagara in the Eastern Conference while the Colts suffered their third straight loss.
GAME CENTRE

 

LONDON 4 – WINDSOR 1
Goaltender Tyler Johnson made 36 saves while Mitchell Stephens (20), JJ Piccinich (21), Janne Kuokkanen (22) and Sam Miletic (28) had goals in a 4-1 London Knights win over the visiting Windsor Spitfires. The Spits managed to outshoot the Knights 37-30, but Johnson’s stellar goaltending led the Knights to their third straight win as they pull to within four points of the first place Erie Otters in the Midwest Division. Hayden McCool (6) provided Windsor’s lone goal as the Spitfires had their three game winning streak stopped. They trail first place Sault Ste. Marie by three points in the West Division and sit one point back of the Owen Sound Attack for fourth place in the conference.
GAME CENTRE

 

KINGSTON 3 – NIAGARA 2
An opportunistic effort from the Kingston Frontenacs resulted in a 3-2 win over the visiting Niagara IceDogs. The Fronts took advantage of some IceDogs miscues, taking two points despite being outshot 34-26 as goaltender Jeremy Helvig turned away 32 shots. Jason Robertson (33) had a goal and an assist while Sam Field (1) and Eemeli Rasanen (6) also had markers. Niagara goals came from Aaron Haydon (8) and Akil Thomas (20). The Fronts keep pace with the Hamilton Bulldogs in the Eastern Conference, improving to 27-22-5-4 for a fourth place tie. Niagara sits deadlocked in a tie with Ottawa for the seventh playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
GAME CENTRE

 

FLINT 6 – NORTH BAY 3
Dallas Stars prospect Nicholas Caamano (28) had a goal and two assists as the Flint Firebirds doubled up the visiting North Bay Battalion 6-3. Rookie forward Jake Durham (8, 9) scored twice while Maurizio Colella (14) scored against his former club, Everett Clark (13) capitalized on a penalty shot and Michal Steinocher (1) scored his first OHL goal. The Firebirds outshot the Battalion 38-34 as Connor Hicks made 31 saves in goal. Adam Thilander (5), Andy Baker (2) and Kyle Potts (10) scored for the Troops. Flint has won three straight games and sits three points back of sixth place Kitchener in the Western Conference. The Battalion are currently two points back of Niagara and Ottawa for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
GAME CENTRE

 

MISSISSAUGA 10 – PETERBOROUGH 1
The Mississauga Steelheads put up a 10-spot on the scoreboard, dominating the visiting Peterborough Petes 10-1 as New Jersey Devils prospect Michael McLeod (17, 18, 19) had three goals and three assists on the night to set a new Steelheads single-game record with six points. Los Angeles Kings prospect Spencer Watson (22, 23) also got in on the offence while Nathan Bastian (14), Jacob Cascagnette (15) Vili Saarijarvi (11), Austin Osmanski (2) and Marcus Dickerson (2) also contributed goals. The Steelheads buried 10 goals on 34 shots, going 2-for-3 on the power play to end Peterborough’s three game winning streak. Logan DeNoble (28) scored the lone goal for the Petes as they remain two points ahead of Oshawa for first place in the East Division. The Steelheads improve to 26-19-6-7, scoring at least 10 goals in a game for the second time this season.
GAME CENTRE