Playing catch-up costs Storm a point

When he is on his game, few junior aged goaltenders are as good as Ramis Sadikov.  In what was a must-win over the last placed Erie Otters, Sadikov was at his best in a 3-2 shootout victory versus the visiting Storm.  Outshot 42-24 including 19-5 in the third period alone, Sadikov was the difference on Wednesday night.

Guelph never led in the contest, clawing back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits while trailing for less than seven minutes combined.  After a scoreless first period, the Otters’ Luke Cairns opened the scoring at 6:17 of the second.  One down, the visitors wasted little time replying as Kyle Pereira notched his fourth of the season from Zach Leslie and Ryan Horvat.  

Much like the second, Guelph’s offence failed to click until the Otters jumped in front.  With Stephen Gaskin in the box for interference, Connor Brown staked the Otters to another one goal lead at the 4:48 mark.  Once again, the deficit seemed to instill some much needed urgency and the Storm answered back with a powerplay marker of their own exactly five minutes later.  Rookie Hunter Garlent picked up the equalizer from Gaskin and fellow rookie Jason Dickinson.  For Garlent and Dickinson, the Storm’s top two picks from last summer, the points were numbers 33 and 29 respectively.

After a scoreless overtime, the shootout was a carbon copy of regulation.  The Otters scored on their first attempt, the Storm answered back.  The Otters third shooter scored, the Storm’s third shooter scored.  Unfortunately for Guelph, the pattern was broken when Cairns beat Garret Sparks, while Sadikov denied Garlent. 

While Guelph picked up a single point with the shootout loss, the Soo Greyhounds pounded the Sarnia Sting on home ice to pull into a tie for the eighth spot.  The Storm and Hounds also trail seventh place Windsor by two points.  Guelph owns two games in hand on the Soo and one on the Spitfires.

Friday night at the Sleeman Centre, the Kingston Frontenacs visit for a 7:30 start.  Two days after welcoming the last place club in the East Division, Guelph will host the first place Ottawa 67’s at 2 pm.

Guelph Storm 2 at Erie Otters 3 (SO) – Status: Final SO
Wednesday, February 29, 2012 – Tullio Arena

Guelph 0 1 1 0 – 2
Erie 0 1 1 0 – 3

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Fox Er (slashing), 16:11.

2nd Period-1, Erie, Cairns 10 (Brown, Fox), 6:17. 2, Guelph, Pereira 4 (Leslie, Horvat), 7:41. Penalties-Dickinson Gue (tripping), 1:12; Fox Er (hooking), 12:07; Bertuzzi Gue (holding), 15:10.

3rd Period-3, Erie, Brown 21 (Cairns, Cortellessa), 4:48 (PP). 4, Guelph, Garlent 12 (Gaskin, Dickinson), 9:48 (PP). Penalties-Gaskin Gue (interference), 4:26; Cairns Er (tripping), 9:07.

OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

Shootout – Guelph 2 (Menard G, Mitchell NG, Dickinson G, Garlent NG), Erie 3 (Fox G, Harper NG, Olden G, Cairns G).
Shots on Goal-Guelph 14-7-19-2-0-42. Erie 7-10-5-1-1-24.
Power Play Opportunities-Guelph 1 / 3; Erie 1 / 3.
Goalies-Guelph, Sparks 22-22-1-3 (23 shots-21 saves). Erie, Sadikov 6-22-3-1 (42 shots-40 saves).
A-2,507
Referees-Keith Kaval (14), Pat Myers (40).
Linesmen-Mike Harrington (90), Ryan Holmstead (91).