Rookie netminder shines in OT victory over Peterborough
By Tony Saxon, Guelph Mercury
Jason Da Silva didn’t even have time to get nervous.
The rookie Guelph Storm goaltender made his OHL debut Sunday and played a key role in Guelph’s 7-6 overtime victory over the Peterborough Petes at the Sleeman Centre.
Da Silva, 17, had watched Guelph’s first eight games from the bench, but got the call early in the second period after Garret Sparks allowed his fifth goal.
“I was pretty excited. I was nervous going in but as the game went on I was really pumped. It was such an exciting game I was just happy to be playing in it,” Da Silva said.
Matt Finn won it for the Storm 23 seconds into overtime, one-timing a blast from the point that found the top corner behind Petes’ netminder Michael Giugovaz.
Da Silva stopped 22 of the 23 shots he faced and played a key role in killing off a two-man advantage for the Petes late in the game.
He said in a way it was better to enter a game in relief.
“If I knew I was starting a game, I would probably be a lot more nervous,” he said. “You really have no time to be nervous when they tell you to go in like that.”
The game, to be polite, not exactly a pretty one. Six of the goals came on the power play and play had little flow.
But the solid Sunday crowd of 3,800 certainly enjoyed the display of offence and the game wasn’t without its moments of beauty, most notably a brilliant shorthanded goal by the Storm’s Zack Mitchell that tied the game with 2:23 remaining in regulation.
The seven goals was a season-high for the Storm.
