McFadden shines in 3-2 OT victory
Garrett McFadden was the hero of Game Four, pocketing the tying goal in a significant 3-2 overtime victory that sees the Guelph Storm take a 3-1 lead into Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinal on Saturday in Guelph.
Steph Coratti, GuelphStorm.com
Evidently, this series isn’t for the faint of heart.
In a physical, fast-paced Game Four, the Guelph Storm came out victorious in a second overtime result over the Owen Sound Attack on Wednesday night, taking a 3-1 lead on the series into Game Five to be played in Guelph on Saturday.
Storm netminder Justin Nichols would be the steady storyline throughout the game, turning aside 48 of 50 shots through 65:24 of play. Nichols was remarkable throughout the Game Four match-up, including 19 of 20 saves in the middle frame alone.
The hero of the contest would be found on the backend, playing close to hometown Kincardine, Ontario, defenceman Garrett McFadden registered the first OHL playoff goal of his career in dramatic fashion – tying the game up at two with under two minutes remaining in regulation: on a shorthanded rush. McFadden would also play a role in the overtime winner, originating the play with a wrist shot from the point. McFadden now has three points (one goal, two assists) over the last two games – the first three OHL playoff points of his career.
In the opening minutes, Owen Sound would hold the edge, forcing Nichols to come up with significant saves early on, including a big glove stop on Daniel Milne breaking in off the bench.
Getting the Storm in on the end-to-end action would be Chris Marchese with a strong, threatening shift just prior to the halfway point of the period. The overage forward would have two good chances on Jack Flinn, but wouldn’t be able to beat the six-foot-eight goaltender.
With 12 seconds remaining on the game’s first power play as Owen Sound’s Kyle Platzer sat in the box for slashing, Phil Baltisberger would take a hooking penalty to cut the advantage short.
The Storm’s penalty killing unit, however, would be nothing short of stellar, fending off strong Attack pressure while Nichols remained strong in the paint to keep the game scoreless heading into the first intermission.
Guelph’s special teams would have plenty of work in the middle frame as the Storm received three straight calls through the first 15 minutes of play in the second.
Successfully killing off the second penalty given to Austin Hall for tripping, Dickinson would turn the play the other way, putting a light backhander on net that would find the back of the net to open the scoring at 12:56 of the period.
The Attack would continue to dominate the middle frame, though, forcing Robby Fabbri to take a slashing penalty in the defensive zone with just over five minutes remaining in the second.
Finally capitalizing on the power play, Owen Sound’s Petrus Palmu would get one past Nichols to tie the game up at one-a-piece.
With three minutes to go in the period, the Attack would find themselves in some penalty trouble, as Jaden Lindo and Chris Bigras would take high sticking and slashing calls respectively shortly after each other.
Owen Sound would end the period with a strong five-on-three penalty kill, despite pressure from the Storm’s power play through the majority of the advantage, closing out the middle frame with a 20-5 shot advantage, and up 35-18 on the shot clock through 40 minutes.
The Storm would regain composure heading into the third period as the game continued to feature fast, end-to-end action. Both teams would record 13 shots in the final 20 minutes of regulation.
At the 8:35 mark of the period, Daniel Milne would give the Attack their first lead on home ice in the series on a goal that held similarities to the previous two scored in the contest. With Nichols playing the puck behind the net, Zach Nastasiuk would stop up the play on the wing and fire the puck towards the net. On the play, Milne pocketed the ugly, but, nevertheless, go-ahead marker to make it a 2-1 game.
Closing out the period with some penalty trouble as Baltisberger was given two for tripping at the 17:37 mark, the Storm looked to be all but done.
Cue Garrett McFadden.
The sophomore defenceman would break out for a shorthanded rush, putting the puck on net surrounded by five Attack sweaters in the offensive zone. McFadden would follow up the effort with a baseball-esque swing from the waist to burry the tying marker on the rebound – the first OHL playoff goal of his career – with 1:27 remaining in regulation. The goal would force overtime for the second time in the series.
The Storm would come out of the gates for the sudden death period hungry, and pressing right off the start. Flinn, forced to make several big saves in the opening minutes of overtime, kept the game alive as Guelph continued to push.
Like a script, it would be none other than McFadden firing in a wrist shot from the point that would lead to the eventual game winning goal.
With a scramble off McFadden’s point shot, rookie Givani Smith would find a way to get the rebound past Flinn to take Game Four by a score of 3-2 at the 5:24 mark of overtime.
The Storm now take a 3-1 lead into Game Five of the series to be played in Guelph on Saturday night. The puck is slated to drop at 7:00pm. Be sure you don’t miss a second of the action! Purchase your tickets HERE.
GAME NOTES
- Playing close to hometown Kincadine, Ontario, Garrett McFadden, who recorded his first OHL playoff point with an assist in Tuesday night’s Game Three 2-1 win, scored the first OHL playoff goal of his career with less than two minutes remaining in regulation to force the game into overtime. The goal would be scored shorthanded.
- McFadden has now recorded three points in his last two games, registering an assist in Game Three, and a goal and an assist in Game Four.
- Rookie Givani Smith also scored the first OHL playoff goal of his career, winning the game in overtime.
- Jason Dickinson recorded a goal and an assist in the victory.
- Game Four would feature the second overtime result of the series, with the Storm coming out victorious in both.
- The Storm now lead the series 3-1 as the Western Conference Quarterfinal shifts back to Guelph for Game Five.
- To purchase your tickets for Game Five, ensuring you don’t miss a second of the action, click HERE.
Guelph Storm 3 (OT) at Owen Sound Attack 2 – Status: End of Game
Wednesday, April 1, 2015 – Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre
Guelph 0 1 1 1 – 3
Owen Sound 0 1 1 0 – 2
1st Period– No Scoring.
Penalties-Dickinson Gue (roughing), 0:22; Brack Os (roughing), 0:22; Platzer Os (slashing), 10:19; Baltisberger Gue (hooking), 12:07; Rhodes Gue (holding), 18:28.
2nd Period–1, Guelph, Dickinson 3 (Smith, Baltisberger), 12:56. 2, Owen Sound, Palmu 1 (Schemitsch, Flinn), 14:54 (PP).
Penalties-served by Hotchkiss Gue (too many men), 3:45; Hall Gue (tripping), 7:47; Fabbri Gue (slashing), 14:16; Lindo Os (high sticking), 17:07; Bigras Os (slashing), 17:41.
3rd Period-3, Owen Sound, Milne 3 8:35. 4, Guelph, McFadden 1 18:33 (SH).
Penalties-Dunda Os (check to the head), 12:21; Schemitsch Os (hooking), 16:26; Baltisberger Gue (tripping), 17:37.
OT Period–5, Guelph, Smith 1 (Dickinson, McFadden), 5:24.
Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal–Guelph 13-5-13-6-37. Owen Sound 15-20-13-2-50.
Power Play Opportunities–Guelph 0 / 5; Owen Sound 1 / 4.
Goalies–Guelph, Nichols 3-1-0-0 (50 shots-48 saves). Owen Sound, Flinn 1-1-2-0 (37 shots-34 saves).
A-2,958
Referees-T.J. Foster (29), Scott Oakman (23).
Linesmen-Dustin McCrank (68), John Fischer (63).