Guelph wins 7-4 over the Steelheads in final pre-season game
Guelph, Ont. – To our fans, we’re just getting started…
The Matchup
Friday evening at the Sleeman Centre, your Guelph Storm put on one last pre-season push in their fourth match up against the Mississauga Steelheads. The Steelheads downed the Storm in the first game of the pre-season, but Guelph prevailed and came out on top in the final three games.
The Storm controlled the first period in goals and shots on goal (SOG 11-4). Michael Bianconi opened up the scoring in the slot from Braeden Bowman and Cooper Walker. Hometown boy Jake Karabela closed out the first period with a sweet shot assisted by Matthew Poitras.
After an early second period Storm penalty the Steelheads wasted no time opening the second period, scoring with a top shelf goal from Luca DelBelBelluz. The Storm were quick to take control of the game with a goal on the rush from Matthew Papais, followed by a give and go goal by Danny Zhilikin, assisted by Marko Sikic and Valentin Zhugin. The Storm continued to press through the final seconds of the powerplay with a wrist shot from Cam Allen assisted by Matthew Poitras and Jake Karabela. Down four closing out the second period, the Steelheads respond with a short-handed goal from Luca DelBelBelluz with his second of the night.
Down three headed into the third, the Steelheads pick up back-to-back goals from rookie Owen Beck to make it a 5-4 game. The Storm looking to take back a bigger lead, respond on the power play with a goal from Braeden Bowman assisted by Michael Buchinger and Jack Haprer. The Storm solidify a win in their final pre-season game with a late third period empty net goal and his second of the game from Braeden Bowman.
What’s at stake this season?
In essence, everything.
Last year the hockey world was flipped upside-down with the pause in play. After a year and a half away from the ice, the 20 Ontario Hockey League teams are all vying for the same thing – a championship season.
Heading into the Regular Season
The Battle of Hwy. 7 is back! Be sure to join us for our regular season home opener on Saturday October 9th at 7:30pm against the Kitchener Rangers. The Storm and Rangers will face off on back-to-back nights with the Storm on the road on Friday October 8th. You can catch the Storm at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium for a 7:00pm puck drop. The Storm end the 2021 pre-season with a 5-1-0-0 record. Tickets are available at https://tickets.guelphstorm.com
Mississauga Steelheads 4 at Guelph Storm 7 – Status: End of Game
Friday, October 1, 2021 – Sleeman Centre
Mississauga 0 2 2 – 4
Guelph 2 3 2 – 7
1st Period-1, Guelph, Bianconi 1 (Bowman, Walker), 5:43. 2, Guelph, Karabela 4 (Poitras), 16:02. Penalties-No Penalties
2nd Period-3, Mississauga, DelBelBelluz 3 (Hardie, Larsen), 1:08 (PP). 4, Guelph, Papais 3 (McFarlane), 3:59. 5, Guelph, Zhilkin 5 (Sikic, Zhugin), 4:54. 6, Guelph, Allen 2 (Poitras, Karabela), 7:41. 7, Mississauga, DelBelBelluz 4 17:08 (SH). Penalties-Bennett Gue (delay of game), 0:48; DelBelBelluz Miss (roughing), 5:32; Collins Miss (roughing), 10:28; Lavoie Miss (boarding), 16:55.
3rd Period-8, Mississauga, Beck 3 4:12. 9, Mississauga, Beck 4 (Bjorgvik-Holm, Hardie), 5:56. 10, Guelph, Bowman 3 (Harper, Buchinger), 8:01 (PP). 11, Guelph, Bowman 4 18:12 (EN). Penalties-Bjorgvik-Holm Miss (tripping), 0:23; Del Mastro Miss (high sticking), 6:34; Walker Gue (high sticking), 14:02.
Shots on Goal-Mississauga 4-7-10-21. Guelph 11-9-8-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Mississauga 1 / 0; Guelph 1 / 0.
Goalies-Mississauga, DiLauro 0-3-0-0 (16 shots-11 saves); Ranger 1-0-0-2 (11 shots-10 saves). Guelph, Bennett 1-0-0-0 (21 shots-17 saves).
A-
Referees-Pat Myers (40), Riley Page (97).
Linesmen-Adam Harris (49), Nik Knezic.