Guelph Storms their way to finals

Brendan Zwambag, Guelphstorm.com

Three goals in five minutes powered the Guelph Storm to their second win of the Mastercard Memorial Cup as they punched their ticket to the Championship game.

Aside from Kerby Rychel, Zack Mitchell and Jason Dickinson goals in the first six minutes of the game, Guelph and the Val-d’Or Foreurs scored three goals apiece in a 6-3 Storm win.

For the second straight game, Rychel opened the scoring – this time in the first minute of the period rather than the last.

Mitchell won a race to a loose puck and centered to Robby Fabbri, who dished off quickly to Rychel at the side of the net. Fifty-nine seconds in and Guelph had the lead.

Mitchell picked up his second point of the game at the four-minute mark. The overage winger wired a wrist shot blocker side from the right faceoff dot. Matt Finn and Nick Ebert assisted on the goal.

Then a minute and 50 seconds later Dickinson struck. The Dallas Stars prospect circled the Val-d’Or zone and cut into the center, shoveling a backhander towards the goal that bounced off a defenders skate. Scott Kosmachuk and Brock McGinn picked up assists.

Val-d’Or Coach Mario Durocher elected to use his timeout early in the second and it helped his team to stem the flow of goals from Guelph.

It took Guelph more than 20 minutes to find the back of the net again.

Pius Suter scored the game winner at 8:13 when he backhanded a rebound in from the side of the Val-d’Or goal. Kosmachuk took the original shot and McGinn also picked up his second assist.

The Foreurs responded with two quick goals midway through the period.

Randy Gazzola fired a wrist shot top corner on the powerplay and Timotej Sille deked Justin Nichols from in tight to cut the lead in half.

Guelph answered twice in the final four minutes of the second to carry a 6-2 lead into the third.

Fabbri collected a loose puck in front following a broken passing play from Mitchell and Rychel at 16:04.

Tyler Bertuzzi converted on his second whack after Antione Bibeau stopped Finn with seven seconds to go. Kosmachuk also assisted.

Anthony Beauregard scored the only thirds period goal on a deke in close to Nichols in the final minute of a five-minute major penalty to Guelph.

Nichols stopped 30 shots, while Bibeau and Keven Bouchard each saw action for Val-d’Or. Bouchard kicked aside all 13 shots he faced in relief of Bibeau in the final frame. After shutting out the London Knights in the tournament opener, Bibeau allowed six goals on 36 shots.

The win guarantees an appearance in the Championship game for Guelph – the first time since 1998.

Guelph plays London on Wednesday night in the final round robin game.

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Guelph Storm 6 at Val-d’Or Foreurs 3 – Status Final
Monday, May 19, 2014 – Budweiser Gardens

Guelph 3 3 0 – 6
Val-d’Or 0 2 1 – 3

1st Game Period-1, Guelph, Rychel 3 (Mitchell, Fabbri), 0:59. 2, Guelph, Mitchell 1 (Ebert, Finn), 4:00. 3, Guelph, Dickinson 1 (Kosmachuk, McGinn), 5:50. Penalties-Presseault Vdo (high sticking), 8:42; Bertuzzi Gue (delay of game), 11:39; Kosmachuk Gue (roughing), 15:40; Henley Vdo (roughing), 15:40; Richard Vdo (inter. on goaltender), 17:24.

2nd Game Period-4, Guelph, Suter 1 (Kosmachuk, McGinn), 8:13. 5, Val-d’Or, Gazzola 1 (Gélinas, Mantha), 11:59 (PP). 6, Val-d’Or, Sille 1 (Presseault, Ouellette-St-Amant), 12:55. 7, Guelph, Fabbri 1 (Rychel, Mitchell), 16:04. 8, Guelph, Bertuzzi 3 (Kosmachuk, Finn), 19:52. Penalties-Galipeau Vdo (tripping), 5:58; McGinn Gue (slashing), 11:20.

3rd Game Period-9, Val-d’Or, Beauregard 1 (Sille, Fraser), 12:32 (PP). Penalties-Graves Vdo (check from behind), 4:32; Bauman Gue (major-kneeing, game misconduct), 7:50; Gravel Vdo (slashing), 15:34; Fraser Vdo (charging), 18:45; Finn Gue (interference), 19:11.

Shots on Goal-Guelph 19-17-13-49. Val-d’Or 13-13-7-33.
Power Play Opportunities-Guelph 0/6; Val-d’Or 2/5.
Goalies-Guelph, Nichols 2-0-0-0 (33 shots-30 saves). Val-d’Or, Bibeau 1-1-0-0 (36 shots-30 saves); Bouchard 0-0-0-0 (13 shots-13 saves).
A-8,796
Referees-Mario Maillet (21), Scott Oakman (23).
Linesmen-Cory Piche (87), Dustin McCrank (68).