From the Stands
By Paul Osborne, Guelph Tribune
It was not a great weekend for the Guelph Storm on the scoreboard but perhaps in the long run it will be a weekend that truly meant something.
The “home bug” bit them again in a 5-2 loss to the Saginaw Spirit a team they had been above in the standings for most of the season. And then after dominating the Oshawa Generals early Sunday and jumping out to a 1-0 lead, they allowed the Generals to secure their footing and roar back for a 4-2 win. Two games played and nothing but bruises to show for them.
The result is that Guelph remains tied for the 8th and final playoff spot with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds but are now four points back of 7th place Windsor while Saginaw jumps all the way to 5th, now tied with Owen Sound, six points up on the Storm.
It has become clear that Guelph will go as far as netminder Garret Sparks will carry them. Heading into the weekend he had been brilliant, slowing climbing to share ground with some of the elite keepers in the league. However Friday night his A-game went missing. He allowed four goals in the first period, two of them soft, giving the Spirit an easy 4-0 lead. But it was what happened between periods and after the game that should help him in the long run.
“I feel a little guilty (about my performance)” Sparks admitted. “It was a huge game but I didn’t have it for one reason or another.”
What I loved about his reaction was there were no excuses, no finger pointing and no looking back. All qualities you hope for in a leader and especially a goaltender that you intend to ride as far as you can.
It was simply another lesson for this young team to learn. With temporary back-up Jason DaSilva on the bench, it might have been easy for coach Scott Walker to give Sparks the hook, but he felt in the long run, the best option for the organization was to let Sparks figure it out himself. Throw him back out there to start the second period.
“I did think about (putting in DaSilva) but I wanted Sparksy to be resilient” said Walker. “I talked to him between periods and told him it is no time to feel sorry for yourself, I need you to bounce back. And I thought he did.”
He allowed just one more goal over the next forty minutes. But it wasn’t the short-term turnaround that is of utmost importance here; it is the long-term mental toughness that you hoped he benefited from on this off night.
From the Land of Oz….Zack Mitchell led the team offensively over the weekend with a goal and three assists. The right winger now leads Francis Menard and Tanner Richard by 11 and 12 points respectively in team scoring…Former Storm defenceman Kevin Dallman is having another great season with Barys Astana of the Kontinental Hockey League. He leads all defencemen in scoring with 17 goals and 30 assists. The next closest defenceman is 13 points behind. Dallman’s 47 points is good for fifth overall in the KHL. The Niagara Falls native has taken out citizenship in Kazakhstan and will be eligible to play for them in the next Olympics.
