Solid effort comes up short
Tuesday night in Kitchener, the Storm and the Rangers were tied at three late in regulation before Jason Akeson snapped the game winner over Garret Sparks.
After surrendering a pair of early goals to Kitchener, the Storm trailed 2-0 only 97 seconds into the opening frame. Much like their come from behind effort on Sunday afternoon, Guelph battled back to tie the game. Tyler Carroll cut the lead in half with his 10th of the season from Mike Latta and Taylor Beck before Brock McGinn evened the score at two just under two minutes later.
In the second, the visitors had a golden opportunity to take control of the contest beginning with 1:49 of five-on-three. Instead of turning the game in the Storm’s favour, the failed two man advantage was likely the turning point of the match, and the score remained tied at two after two.
Moments after failing to convert on a powerplay of their own with just under five minutes remaining, the Rangers finally broke the deadlock when Akeson slid the puck across the crease to Tyler Randell who banged in his second of the night. Down one, the Storm pulled Sparks in favour of the extra man and the move paid off when Richard Panik dished to Taylor Beck at the side of Brandon Maxwell for the equalizer. The contest looked like it might be headed for overtime, until a brilliant individual effort by Akeson who picked up a turnover along the side wall in the Storm zone, cut around several Guelph defenders and buried the winner.
Thursday night, it will be the second of back-to-back Midwest Division tilts for the Storm when they head to London to face the Knights. One night later, the Storm will host the Sarnia Sting at the Sleeman Centre, before wrapping up the week on Sunday afternoon at 2 pm against the Erie Otters at home.
Guelph Storm 3 at Kitchener Rangers 4 – Status: End of Game
Tuesday, December 7, 2010 – Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Guelph 2 0 1 – 3
Kitchener 2 0 2 – 4
1st Period-1, Kitchener, Tipoff 14 (Akeson, Rieder), 0:56. 2, Kitchener, Randell 4 (Murphy), 1:37. 3, Guelph, Carroll 10 (Latta, Beck), 12:26. 4, Guelph, McGinn 2 (Lofquist, Menard), 14:21. Penalties-Sol Kit (delay of game), 5:38; Murphy Kit (hooking), 8:06; McNaughton Gue (slashing), 8:20; Sol Kit (slashing), 8:20; Lofquist Gue (holding), 10:15.
2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Pereira Gue (hooking), 0:57; Randell Kit (roughing), 3:17; Jasper Kit (delay of game), 10:40; Melchiori Kit (hooking), 10:51; Catenacci Kit (diving), 16:28; Latta Gue (tripping), 18:44.
3rd Period-5, Kitchener, Randell 5 (Akeson, Landeskog), 15:08. 6, Guelph, Beck 15 (Panik, Holland), 18:15. 7, Kitchener, Akeson 13 18:58. Penalties-McGinn Gue (interference, fighting), 13:06; Lopes Kit (fighting), 13:06; Lofquist Gue (tripping), 19:48.
Shots on Goal-Guelph 9-15-8-32. Kitchener 7-17-15-39.
Power Play Opportunities-Guelph 0 / 5; Kitchener 0 / 5.
Goalies-Guelph, Sparks 1-1-0-0 (39 shots-35 saves). Kitchener, Maxwell 12-5-1-0 (32 shots-29 saves).
A-6,372
Referees-Craig Spada (10), Mike Bolibruck (2).
Linesmen-Kevin Hastings (61), Dustin McCrank (68).
