Game Preview: Storm host the Attack
The Guelph Storm, looking to continue their winning-ways, host a divisional match-up with the Owen Sound Attack in town for the annual Teddy Bear Toss on Friday.
Steph Coratti, GuelphStorm.com
On Friday, a divisional match-up will be in full swing with the Owen Sound Attack visiting Guelph for the first time this season. The Storm and the Attack are separated by a small margin of two-points with the same number of games played thus far, evidently putting heavy emphasis on the contest.
Heading into Friday’s tilt, the Storm have won seven of their last eight games, including four straight on home ice, and three games consecutively.
Owen Sound also has some win-column momentum in their back pocket, bringing a two-game streak into the contest.
Player Watch
With Robby Fabbri and Jason Dickinson, two out of the top four point-getters for the Storm, attending Team Canada’s IIHF World Junior Championship evaluation camp, and as a result out of the line up, the team will look to other offensive forces to continue their strong play. Pius Suter, sitting third on the Storm in scoring, is certainly one of them. The coined-Swiss Assassin matched and surpassed his rookie point total of 24 this past weekend, and is currently producing at a point-per-game rate with 18 goals and 10 assists in 28 games played this season.
Leading the Storm offensively is Tyler Bertuzzi, who hit the 40-point-plateau with a goal against the Saginaw Spirit on Dec. 7. The Detroit Red Wings prospect has 16 goals and 24 assists in 28 games played, while also compiling a team-leading plus-13. Bertuzzi also registered two goals, and a shootout marker, in the last match-up against Owen Sound, and will look to have another influential game on Friday with the Attack in town.
On the back end is defenseman Ben Harpur, who is steadily putting together a career-year thus far. The Ottawa Senators prospect has a career-high 19 points (four goals, 15 assists) in 18 games, bringing his production to just over a point-per-game rate. Harpur has also been sound defensively with a plus-12 rating.
The Opponent: Owen Sound Attack (14-9-1-4, 33 points)
Owen Sound currently sits fifth in the Midwest Division with 33 points, and sixth overall in the Western Conference. However, in a competitive Midwest, with four of five teams over a .600-winning-percentage, with the Attack not far behind at .589, one match-up could mean the difference between third and fifth.
With the Storm compiling a 17-10-0-1 record for 35 points in 28 games played, the Attack are only two points behind the defending champions with a 14-9-1-4 record for 33 points, proving any divisional match-up is an important one.
Owen Sound is fresh off two strong victories over the Kitchener Rangers, defeating the blue shirts 3-0 and 5-2 back-to-back on Dec. 5 and Dec. 6 respectively. The Attack’s last loss came at the hands of another Midwest competitor in the first place Erie Otters, who took the game 4-3 on Dec. 3.
The Attack’s leading scorer, Kyle Platzer, was largely influential in the club’s back-to-back victories over his hometown Kitchener Rangers this past weekend, registering four goals and an assist, including his first career hat trick in Owen Sound’s 5-2 victory at home. In addition, the Edmonton Oilers prospect tallied a goal and two assists in the Attack’s 4-3 loss to the Otters on Dec. 3. Platzer is currently 15th in OHL scoring with 14 goals for 37 points in 28 games played.
Owen Sound also boasts a double-threat between the pipes, with back-up Michael McNiven compiling a shutout, a 1.00 GAA, and a save percentage of .967 in the two victories over Kitchener. On the season, the 1997-born, Georgetown, Ontario native has totaled for a 7-1-0-0 record with a 1.49 GAA and .953 SV% in eight games played. In the last match-up between these teams, McNiven turned aside 38 shots for the 3-2 shootout victory.
Without defenseman Chris Bigras, who is away at Team Canada’s IIHF World Junior evaluation camp, the Attack will look to improve on their 6-6-1-2 road record in Guelph on Friday, and break their .500 winning percentage of 5-5-0-0 over the last ten games played.
Season Series Update
The Storm and the Attack have met twice so far this season with both games in Owen Sound. Splitting the season series so far, each team has come away with a win by a score of 3-2.
- Oct. 4: Guelph 3, Owen Sound 2
In the first tilt, the Storm came from behind, pocketing third period goals from Jason Dickinson and Garrett McFadden to steal the game.
The Attack’s Ethan Szypula opened the scoring at the 8:08 mark of the first on the power play with Jesse Hilton in the box for tripping. Pius Suter responded just over four minutes later to tie the game up at one with his third tally of the season.
With McFadden serving a hooking penalty, Owen Sound capitalized on the power play for the second time in the opening frame as Daniel Milne scored with seven seconds remaining in the period.
The Attack would hold on to the 2-1 lead until the 5:53 mark of the third period as Dickinson registered his second of the season on the power play.
Under five minutes later, McFadden would put together an incredible end-to-end rush, finishing off an unassisted highlight reel goal for the game winner with the man-advantage.
Former Storm goaltender Matthew Mancina was between the pipes, turning aside 26 of 28 shots for the win.
Guelph fired 40 shots on Attack netminder Jack Flinn, who stopped 37.
- Oct. 25: Owen Sound 3, Guelph 2 (SO)
It took a shootout to resolve the last match-up, with the Attack converting on all three attempts in the victory.
Tyler Bertuzzi got the scoring started at the 15:47 mark of the second period, with linemate Robby Fabbri notching an assist, as well as defenseman Zac Leslie.
The lead didn’t last too long, with the Attack responding just over a minute later on a goal from Kyle Platzer.
Four minutes into the third period, Owen Sound jumped ahead 2-1 when Petrus Palmu found the back of the net.
Later in the frame, Bertuzzi scored his second of the game, and sixth of the season, with both helpers coming from Fabbri and Leslie once again, to tie the game up at two on the power play.
Overtime would solve nothing, leaving the result up to a shootout. Palmu, Platzer, and Szypula all scored for the Attack, while Bertuzzi had the lone tally for the Storm. Dickinson was Guelph’s second shooter, but was unable to capitalize.
Nichols stopped 29 of 31 shots, while Attack goaltender Michael McNiven turned away 38 of 40 for the win.
KEYS TO THE GAME
- Big Shoes To Fill:
With Robby Fabbri and Jason Dickinson attending Team Canada’s evaluation camp that began on Dec. 11, the Storm line up has two big offensive spots to be filled. However, as of late, Tyler Boston – among others – has been elevating his game, registering two assists in the team’s 4-2 win over the Saginaw Spirit. Rookie Boston has seven points in 16 games played this season, and will look to continue his strong play with veterans out of the line up.
- Special Teams:
Owen Sound boasts a seventh overall power play with 36 goals for on 150 opportunities for a 24.0 PP%. On the other hand, Guelph heads into Friday’s contest ranked 15th on the penalty kill, with 34 power play goals against on 145 times shorthanded for a 76.6 PK%. Certainly a contrast of special team units, the Storm will need to stay disciplined in order to remain in the win column on Friday.
GAME NOTES
- Jason Dickinson and Robby Fabbri will not be in the line up as they are taking part in Team Canada’s IIHF World Junior Championship evaluation camp that began on Dec. 11.
- The Owen Sound Attack will also be without defenseman Chris Bigras who was also invited to Team Canada’s IIHF World Junior Championship evaluation camp.
- Garrett McFadden is out four-to-six weeks after getting hit in the face with a puck against the Saginaw Spirit this past Sunday, suffering a broken jaw.
- Luke Cairns is one point away from registering 150 career-OHL points.
- Likely to get the start in the blue paint for the 17th consecutive game is goaltender Justin Nichols.
- Owen Sound brings a 6-6-1-2 road record up against Guelph’s record of 9-4-0-0 at home.
- The Guelph Storm have won seven of their last eight games, including three consecutively, and four straight on home ice.
- Friday’s match-up features the Guelph Storm’s annual Teddy Bear Toss game. Fans are encouraged to bring new or gently used stuffed toys to be tossed onto the ice when the Storm score their first goal of the game. These bears will be given away to children in the community who may need an extra comforting friend this holiday season.
