Knights drop Storm

The Guelph Storm lost their second in a row, falling 11-1 to the London Knights.

Steph Coratti, GuelphStorm.com 

In the Guelph Storm’s return to the Bud, things didn’t go as well as one would have hoped. The London Knights extended their win streak to seven games, defeating the Storm by a score of 11-1.

Despite making several remarkable saves, Justin Nichols was pulled from the game after allowing four goals on 17 shots. Bradley van Schubert saw the blue paint for the second time in his OHL career, both against the Knights. 

London’s Christian Dvorak and Matt Rupert both recorded five point nights, registering two goals and three assists in the contest.

The first 20 minutes of the contest featured fast placed play with lots of action. The Storm came out quickly, ahead 5-1 on the shot clock six minutes into the game. However, it would be the London Knights who would strike first after responding with some offensive pressure of their own.

Michael McCarron fired a wrist shot past Nichols, sliding it just under the cross bar for the game’s first goal. The play immediately followed a Dvorak chance that saw the Knights sophomore slide one right through the crease missing out on the first goal of the match-up. 

It wouldn’t take Dvorak long to get on the board, though. Just over two minutes later at the 10:46 mark of the period, Mitchell Marner found Rubert who would connect with Dvorak, making no mistake for his 10th goal on the season. 

The Storm continued to push back, however, as Marc Stevens had the best chance of the period for the visiting squad. Jesse Hilton found Stevens on the hunt in the slot, but Stevens was unable to beat the post.

Nichols was solid in net for the Storm, especially on a late chance that saw Max Domi stick handle through two Guelph defenders. The Storm goaltender, who turned away 11 shots on the period, would just get a piece of Domi’s shot, keeping the game at 2-0 to head into the first intermission.

Despite the two goal deficit, the Storm led 14-11 on the shot clock after 20 minutes.

The second period saw the Knights explode for five more goals. Rupert would start it off, batting the puck in past Nichols. The goal was reviewed for a potential high-stick, and the call on the ice would stand.

McCarron pocketed his second on the game next off of a drop pass from Aaron Berisha to make it 4-0 around the halfway mark of the period. That would be it for Nichols, who faced 17 shots on the game.

Robby Fabbri, getting his stick high on Domi, would get two minutes in the box. Berisha would capitalize off a passing play including Domi and Rupert with 7:25 remaining in the period.

Rupert recorded his second of the game next, scoring the sixth London goal on 20 shots.

With 2:38 left in the middle frame, the Storm would try to get something going on the power play as Rupert would get called for tripping. After some solid pressure in the offensive zone, the Knights would be the ones to capitalize shorthanded as Dakota Mermis set up Owen MacDonald from behind the net to beat van Schubert for his first of the season. 

Not much would change in the final period, as the Knights found the back of the net just 1:14 into the third. Tait Seguin pocketed his first of the season and the eighth tally for the Knights. On the goal, Mermis would record his third assist of the game. 

11:33 into the third, Dvorak registered his fourth point, scoring his second of the game.

The Storm would eventually get on the board just over a minute later as Chadd Bauman stepped into a shot in the slot, finally putting one past Michael Giugovaz. Hilton and Adam Craievich assisted on the goal.

Hitting double-digits, the Knights found the back of the net once again a mere 27 seconds later with MacDonald pocketing his second of the game.

With Phil Baltisberger taking his second penalty of the contest, London capitalized once again with Mitchell Marner banging home a rebound in front of the Storm goal to put the Knights ahead 11-1 with just over 1:30 to play.

That would do it as the Knights extended their win streak to seven with a dominating 11-1 win over the Storm.

Guelph returns home on Friday to face off against the Saginaw Spirit at the Sleeman Centre. The contest features the Storm’s Pink in the Rink night in support of breast cancer awareness. The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:30pm.

 

GAME NOTES

Storm Shots: Despite the lopsided affair, the Guelph Storm outshot the London Knights in all three periods of play for a total of 45 shots on the game. The Knights registered 34.

Storm Stay Disciplined: The Guelph Storm were only shorthanded a total of three times on the game. Robby Fabbri (high sticking) and Phil Baltisberger (check-to-the-head) were called in the second period, with Baltisberger taking a second penalty in the final period.

London’s Stars: Christian Dvorak and Matt Rupert of the London Knights both recorded five-point nights, each with two goals and three assists. Dvorak was a plus-six, while Rupert was a plus-four.

Big Day for Big Ben: Ben Harpur returned to the Storm line up tonight after missing seven games due to a knee injury. The 19-year-old defenseman also signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators earlier today.

Burghardt Here to Stay: 1998-born forward, Luke Burghardt, has officially joined the Guelph Storm, earning a permanent spot on the roster announced prior to tonight’s match-up. Burghardt was Guelph’s sixth round pick (120th overall) in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection. In his first two career games in the OHL, the Bowmanville, Ontario native registered two assists.

Up Next: The Guelph Storm look ahead to tomorrow’s match-up against the Saginaw Spirit at home. The contest features the team’s Pink in the Rink night in support of breast cancer awareness. On Sunday, the Storm will surely look for redemption as the London Knights visit the Sleeman Centre. The rematch will also be Guelph’s Remembrance Day game.

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Guelph Storm 1 at London Knights 11 – Status: Final
Thursday, November 6, 2014 – Budweiser Gardens

Guelph 0 0 1 – 1
London 2 5 4 – 11

1st Period-1, London, McCarron 5 (Domi, Jamieson), 8:04. 2, London, Dvorak 10 (Rupert, Marner), 10:46. Penalties-No Penalties

2nd Period-3, London, Rupert 5 (Yakimowicz, Dvorak), 5:50. 4, London, McCarron 6 (Berisha, Gleason), 10:35. 5, London, Berisha 7 (Rupert, Domi), 12:17 (PP). 6, London, Rupert 6 (Mermis, Marner), 15:13. 7, London, MacDonald 1 (Mermis), 18:37 (SH). Penalties-Carroll Gue (fighting), 5:21; Klima Ldn (fighting), 5:21; Fabbri Gue (high sticking), 10:59; Harpur Gue (slashing), 11:34; McCarron Ldn (slashing), 11:34; Fabbri Gue (fighting), 14:25; Rymsha Ldn (fighting), 14:25; Rupert Ldn (tripping), 17:22; Baltisberger Gue (check to the head), 19:00.

3rd Period-8, London, Seguin 1 (Mermis, Dvorak), 1:14. 9, London, Dvorak 11 (Marner), 11:33. 10, Guelph, Bauman 1 (Hilton, Craievich), 12:39. 11, London, MacDonald 2 (Yakimowicz, Crawley), 13:06. 12, London, Marner 11 (Rupert, Dvorak), 18:00 (PP). Penalties-Jamieson Ldn (cross checking), 3:51; Baltisberger Gue (check to the head), 16:52.

Shots on Goal-Guelph 14-15-16-45. London 11-10-13-34.
Power Play Opportunities-Guelph 0 / 2; London 2 / 3.
Goalies-Guelph, Nichols 7-4-0-1 (17 shots-13 saves); Van Schubert 0-1-0-0 (17 shots-10 saves). London, Giugovaz 9-2-0-0 (45 shots-44 saves).
A-8,500
Referees-Brent Coulombe (2), Joe Celestin (4).
Linesmen-Ryan Wilson (89), Mike Harrington (90).