Game Preview: Storm seek first win against Greyhounds
The Guelph Storm begin yet another three-in-three weekend in Sault Ste. Marie on Friday, looking to defeat the Greyhounds for the first time this season.
Steph Coratti, GuelphStorm.com
Starting off another three-in-three weekend in Sault Ste. Marie, the Guelph Storm will look to put an end to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds’ four-game win streak on Friday, hoping to build on their strong 4-2 victory over the Kitchener Rangers on Jan. 11.
The Storm are fourth in the Western Conference with a 23-15-2-1 record for 49 points, while the Greyhounds stand atop the West with 64 points in 42 games played.
Looking at the last ten games played, the Storm have compiled a 4-4-2-0 stretch, while the Greyhounds have gone 7-3-0-0. The Soo, however, has won six of their last seven games, and are coming off a 12-5 victory over the Saginaw Spirit on Jan. 14.
Guelph will look to down the West’s best in search of their first win over the Soo this season, having gone 1-0-1-0 in 2014-15.
Player Watch
Storm captain Jason Dickinson has strung together his best stretch of hockey as of late, riding a six-game scoring streak totaling for three goals and six assists. Although the Dallas Stars prospect hasn’t registered a point in either game against the Greyhounds so far this season, Dickinson has compiled four goals for 10 points in 12 career games against the Soo. With an apparent hot hand, Dickinson will look to build on his 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) registered in 31 games on Friday.
Luke Cairns, who pocketed the tying goal to eventually force overtime in the second contest against the Greyhounds on Dec. 18, has also had a great deal of success against the Soo. In 16 career games, the overage forward has notched five goals for 15 points, producing almost at a point-per-game when facing the Greyhounds. As a member of the Storm, Cairns has totaled for 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 16 games, while also boasting a plus-nine rating. The Stoney Creek, Ontario native has compiled 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) on the season and is coming off registering his 60th career-OHL goal and 100th career-OHL assist this past weekend.
Second to Cairns, defenseman Zac Leslie has played the most career games against the Greyhounds with 14 games played, compiling six points (two goals, four assists). The Los Angeles Kings prospect leads all Storm blueliners, and ranks fifth on the team, with 30 points (six goals, 24 assists) in 37 games played. Leslie also sits tenth overall among OHL defenseman.
The Opponent: Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (31-9-0-2, 64 points)
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are first in the Western Conference, while tied with the East’s Oshawa Generals for the league’s-best as both have 64 points on the season thus far. The Generals, however, have three games in hand on the Greyhounds.
Nevertheless, the Soo is a force to be reckoned with, and even more so following the trade deadline. Winning six of their last seven games, the Greyhounds only loss over the stretch came against the Generals in a 6-4 result on Jan. 4. In those seven games, the Soo has outscored their opponents 42-22, including a 12-5 victory over the Saginaw Spirit on Jan. 14.
In his third game as a member of the Greyhounds, former Peterborough Pete and Team Canada gold medalist Nick Ritchie pocketed four goals against the Spirit earning first star recognition. In 25 games with the Petes, the 2014 first round (10th overall) selection of the Anaheim Ducks compiled 32 points (14 goals, 18 assists), and has totaled for 184 points (91 goals, 93 assists) over a four-year OHL career of 193 games.
Former Kitchener Ranger Justin Bailey has also been a big addition for the Greyhounds. In just four games, the Buffalo Sabres prospect has totaled for five goals and two assists. On Jan. 14 against the Spirit, Bailey registered a hat trick to add to his season point totals of 27 goals and 21 assists. The Williamsville, New York native ranks 14th overall in the OHL with 48 points in 39 games.
Ritchie and Bailey have been strong additions to the already offensively threatening Greyhounds who have Sergey Tolchinsky leading the way up front. The Moscow, Russia native sits 12th overall in the OHL with 52 points (18 goals, 34 assists) in 35 games played, and has registered two goals in one game against the Storm so far this season.
Offence isn’t the only area the Greyhounds boast with Team Canada gold medalist Darnell Nurse manning the backend. The Edmonton Oilers prospect has 23 points (seven goals, 16 assists) in 22 games this season, and was named Team Canada’s Player of the Game in the gold medal match-up against Russia. In the last three games played, Nurse has registered one goal and three assists.
Season Series: Sault Ste. Marie 2, Guelph 0
With each team taking a turn as the host in this season series so far, the Greyhounds have captured both victories after going 0-4-0-0 in 2013-14 against the defending champions. In the last match-up in Guelph, the Storm grabbed a point in overtime after a third-period comeback but couldn’t close out the win in the extra frame.
- Nov. 29: Sault Ste. Marie 5, Guelph 1
In the first match-up of the 2014-15 season, the Greyhounds, sitting first in the Western Conference, came out of the gates quickly to pot the first goal of the game 1:13 into the first. The Greyhounds followed up the effort with two more unanswered goals, boasting a 3-0 lead before the halfway mark of the middle frame.
Former Storm forward Adam Craievich finally got the visitors on the board at the 11:13 mark of the second with his second of the season, cutting the Soo’s lead to two.
The Greyhounds responded just over four minutes later to take back the momentum, and eventually the game in a 5-1 result after adding the final marker in the third period.
Joseph Raaymakers turned away 32 of 33 shots in the victory, while Justin Nichols stopped 36 of 41 shots in his first career-loss to his former team.
- Dec. 18: Sault Ste. Marie 3, Guelph 2 (OT)
Tyler Bertuzzi opened the scoring 11:12 into the game, but it would be the Greyhounds who would carry a 2-1 lead into the final frame following first period goals from Bryan Moore and Zachary Senyshyn.
Luke Cairns would tie the game up 1:28 into the third period, eventually forcing overtime to decide the game.
David Miller would get the winner just over a minute into the extra period, giving the Greyhounds a 2-0-0-0 record against the Storm after dropping all four match-ups in 2013-14.
Despite the loss, Nichols was rock solid between the pipes with 43 of 46 saves on the game, including facing 21 shots in the first period alone.
Raaymakers stopped 22 shots in the victory.
GAME NOTES
- Jason Dickinson is on a six-game point streak totaling for three goals and six assists.
- On a four-game point streak, Tyler Bertuzzi has compiled four goals and four assists over that stretch.
- Friday’s game will be Bill Stewart’s first game as Guelph’s Interm Head Coach after former Head Coach Scott Walker resigned this past Tuesday.
- The Greyhounds are on a four-game win streak heading into Friday’s game, and have won six of their last seven contests outscoring their opponents 42-22.
- The Storm have a 41-22-1-1 all time record against the Greyhounds, going 22-11-0-0 on the road.
- In the last ten games against the Soo, Guelph has a 7-2-1-0 record, with two losses this season.
- Friday’s match-up will be the third meeting this season between the Storm and the Greyhounds.
- Following Friday’s game, the Storm play in Saginaw on Saturday night, and then return home on Sunday to face off against the Kingston Frontenacs at 6:30.
