Game Preview: Storm look to stop skid versus Frontenacs

The Guelph Storm look to put an end to their six-game losing streak with the Kingston Frontenacs visiting for a 2:00 p.m. puck drop on Sunday. The game also features the annual Wellington Motors Food Drive, Spyke’s Halloween Bash, and Skate with the Storm post-game. 

Steph Coratti, GuelphStorm.com —

Click here to purchase ticket’s to Sunday’s game versus the Kingston Frontenacs.

For more information on the Wellington Motors Food Drive and Spyke’s Halloween Bash, click here.

The Guelph Storm need a confidence boost.

That solution, however, is one that they’ll have to produce themselves.

With only one win on the season, and dropping their last six games, the Storm need nothing but a complete, and collective, 60-minute effort in a close contest to get right back into things. 

That can very well be the case come Sunday afternoon with the Eastern Conference’s leading team, the Kingston Frontenacs, visiting for a 2:00 p.m. puck drop. The Frontenacs, having only two regulation losses on the season thus far, have compiled for seven victories, including handing the Erie Otters their first loss of the season this past Friday in a 3-2 overtime result. Notably though, six of Kingston’s seven wins have come in one-goal differentials, leaving room for the Storm to ready for a match-up that can weigh heavily on fundamentals. 

Sunday’s game also features the Wellington Motors Food Drive, Spyke’s Halloween Bash, and Skate with the Storm post-game. 

Weekend Pass Alert!

For Storm fans who purchased a ticket to Friday’s game against the Niagara IceDogs, there’s the chance to add a ticket to Sunday’s match-up against the Kingston Frontenacs (also followed by Skate with the Storm post-game) for only $11! Don’t miss a second of the action and get your tickets now! 

Click here for tickets to Kingston Frontenacs @ Guelph Storm, Oct. 25.

Player Watch

• Guelph Storm

There’s no doubting the Storm have been riddled with offensive struggles right from the beginning of the 2015-16 campaign, nevertheless, to snap the skid the leadership on the squad needs to step up. Captain C.J. Garcia has been the very example of that, pushing to make things happen in all areas of the ice and was rewarded against the Niagara IceDogs on Friday with his first goal of the season in the 5-1 loss. The Pickering, Ontario native has four points on the season, while leading the Storm’s defensive core by example with nothing but strong, confident play on the backend. 

Rookies, on the other hand, have been putting forth the effort and energy that the Storm will collectively need to pick up as a team in order to find the win column again. Five-foot-nine, 165-pound winger Nic Sicoly has been arguably the Storm’s best player outside of the crease, with a consistent effort night-in, and night-out. Despite only two goals on the season thus far, the Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario native has been a much-needed bright spot in the Storm line up with gritty, hard work in any situation. 

2015 first round selection Isaac Ratcliffe is also another young bright spot, and noticeably at that, recently being rewarded with more ice time, including special teams play. The six-foot-four, 192-pound forward has only one goal through 11 games played this season, however, is hard to ignore, using his size effectively in the corners to win battles, while putting forth the required energy and effort when playing without the puck. 

• Kingston Frontenacs

Kingston’s early success sees four-year veteran Spencer Watson in the spotlight, leading the team offensively with 13 points (eight goals, five assists) in 11 games played. The London, Ontario native also stands 17^th overall in OHL scoring with his point totals, while holding a sixth ranking among OHL goal scorers with eight markers on the season. Additionally, the five-foot-nine, 170-pound winger was instrumental in Kingston’s 3-2 win over the Erie Otters, scoring two goals, including the contest’s overtime winner that came 1:10 into the extra frame to hand the Otters their first loss of the season. The Los Angeles Kings prospect (selected 209^th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft) has produced back-to-back seasons with more than a point-per-game average, and is right on track to do the same this campaign.

Defenseman Roland McKeown isn’t too far behind, sitting second on the team in points with 11 through 11 games played. The Frontenacs captain also boasts a third ranking among OHL blueliners, while standing tenth overall in the OHL in assists tallied with 10. McKeown added to those totals this past Friday against the Erie Otters, pocketing three helpers in his club’s 3-2 overtime victory. 

Outside of veteran presence, the Frontenacs also have OHL freshmen stepping up to the plate, with Ryan Cranford leading the team’s rookie efforts. The six-foot, 190-pound winger is 17^th overall in rookie scoring with four goals through 11 games. The Embrun, Ontario native began his OHL career with goals in his first two games, registering his first OHL tally against the Barrie Colts on Sept. 25, and then following up the effort the very next night on Sept. 26 against the London Knights. 

The Opponent: Kingston Frontenacs (7-2-1-1, 16 points)

If the Kingston Frontenacs weren’t being noticed before, they certainly made a statement on Friday after handing the Erie Otters their first loss of the 2015-16 campaign in a 3-2 overtime result. With 16 points on the season thus far, the Frontenacs have compiled a .727 winning percentage, standing first overall in the East Division, and the Eastern Conference.

Notably though, the Frontenacs have seen eight games decided by one goal, with six of their seven victories having one goal differentials. Finding ways to win, goals for (32 so far this season) is not a department Kingston has a hold on, with only four teams (Sudbury Wolves, North Bay Battalion, Barrie Colts, and the Hamilton Bulldogs) in the Eastern Conference scoring less. Keeping that in mind, the Storm, who have had their fair share of tough, close contests, need to put forth a full 60-minute effort – in all areas of the ice – and can very well pull off an upset on Sunday afternoon, and potentially pull out of their offensive struggles that have weighed down the beginning of the 2015-16 season. 

The Frontenacs are also on a three-in-three stretch this weekend, downing the Erie Otters on Friday, followed up with a Saturday match-up against the Niagara IceDogs, only to conclude in Guelph on Sunday afternoon. 

GAME NOTES 

• Sunday’s game is the first of two meetings between the cross-conference teams.

• The Kingston Frontenacs will be on the tail end of a three-in-three stretch when visiting Guelph on Sunday, having previously faced off against the Erie Otters (OT W 3-2) on Friday and the Niagara IceDogs on Saturday.

• Brent Johnson of Wellington Motors Chrysler Jeep Dodge Fiat’s annual Food Drive is this Sunday at the Sleeman Centre, encouraging fans to bring non-perishable food items or cash donations in support of the Guelph Food Bank. (For more information, click here.)

• Sunday is also Spyke’s annual “Halloween Bash,” allowing young Storm fans attending the game to join Spyke in wearing a Halloween costume! (For more information, click here.)

• Skate with the Storm is on Sunday as well, allowing fans to bring their helmets and skates to join their favourite Storm players for some fun following the game!