Storm bit by Ice Dogs
by Matt Pelkey
It’s no secret that the Guelph Storm are having trouble scoring goals.
C.J. Garcia’s power play marker with 8:57 left in the third period helped the Storm avoid being shutout for the third time in six games, but Guelph (1-9-1-0) dropped a 5-1 decision to the visiting Niagara Ice Dogs (4-6-1-0) Friday night at the Sleeman Centre.
To put into perspective how bad the Storm are struggling to score goals, they finished the evening just 1-for-8 with the man advantage against the league’s 15th ranked penalty killing unit in Niagara.
Entering the game with the second-best save percentage in the league at .937%, Justin Nichols turned away 25 shots in the loss while Niagara’s Stephen Dhillon stopped 29 that came his way.
Guelph has scored just five goals over their previous six contests.
Johnny Corneil opened the scoring 9:05 into the evening to give the visitors an early 1-0 lead. On a three-on-two rush, Corneil received a pretty pass from Jordan Maletta before putting it past a desperate Nichols.
With 53 seconds remaining in the opening frame and shortly after a Guelph power play that saw them hit a post, Ben Jones added to the Ice Dogs’ lead.
Jones, streaking down the left wing, wired a laser of a wristshot high over the glove of Nichols and under the bar as the home team trailed 2-0 while being outshot 13-7 heading into the second period.
Josh Ho-Sang made it 3-0 for Niagara when he buried a shot on Nichols a mere 1:06 into the middle frame.
Given a perfect opportunity to get themselves back in the game, the Storm failed to record a shot on net with a five-on-three power play for 56 seconds.
The scoring didn’t stop there for the St. Catharines-based team.
10:13 into the final frame, Maletta increased the lead to four when he tapped home a pass from Ho-Sang. Ho-Sang carried the puck into the Guelph zone, split a pair of defenders, and dished to a wide-open Maletta.
Adding salt to the wound was Graham Knott, who broke away from a Storm defender for a breakaway and lifted the puck over Nichols, who attempted a poke check.
The Storm dropped their sixth-straight loss as Niagara took this game 5-1.
Each team finished with 30 shots.
With the loss, the Storm drop to 1-9-1-0, while the Ice Dogs improve to 4-6-1-0.
Guelph will look to snap their six-game skid this Sunday, October 25 when they battle the Kingston Frontenacs. Puck drop is set for 2:00 PM at the Sleeman Centre.
GAME NOTES
– With an assist, Guelph’s Tyler Boston now has 3 points (0+3=3) in 3 career games vs Niagara
– Guelph went 1-for-8 on the power play; Niagara was 0-for-1
– Although he didn’t record a point, Tyler Hill has 4 points (1+3=4) in 7 career games vs the Ice Dogs
– Storm goaltender Justin Nichols is a St. Catharines native
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Niagara IceDogs 5 at Guelph Storm 1 – Status: Final
Friday, October 23, 2015 – Sleeman Centre
Niagara 2 1 2 – 5
Guelph 0 0 1 – 1
1st Period-1, Niagara, Corneil 3 (Maletta, Pastorious), 9:05. 2, Niagara, Jones 2 19:07. Penalties-Krassey Niag (holding), 14:09; Dunn Niag (roughing), 19:42; Pastorious Niag (roughing), 19:42; Smith Gue (roughing), 19:42; Stevens Gue (roughing), 19:42.
2nd Period-3, Niagara, Ho-Sang 3 (Corneil), 1:06. Penalties-Tetrault Gue (holding), 2:48; Knott Niag (tripping), 8:26; Mikulovich Niag (holding opp. stick), 9:29; Pastorious Niag (instigator, fighting, misc-instigating), 14:36; Tetrault Gue (fight-inst. upon), 14:36; served by Ho-Sang Niag (too many men), 16:45.
3rd Period-4, Niagara, Maletta 6 (Ho-Sang, Corneil), 10:12. 5, Guelph, Garcia 1 (McFadden, Boston), 11:28 (PP). 6, Niagara, Knott 1 (Perlini), 16:38. Penalties-Jones Niag (check to the head), 11:03; Krassey Niag (roughing), 17:17; Pastorious Niag (check to the head), 17:17; Ratcliffe Gue (roughing), 17:17.
Shots on Goal-Niagara 13-10-7-30. Guelph 7-10-13-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Niagara 0 / 1; Guelph 1 / 8.
Goalies-Niagara, Dhillon 2-1-1-0 (30 shots-29 saves). Guelph, Nichols 1-6-1-0 (30 shots-25 saves).
A-3,804
Referees-Ryan Hutchison (20), Andrew Thompson (36).
Linesmen-Drew Jackson (57), Aaron Neely (81).
3 STARS
1) NIA Johnny Cornell – 1 goal, 2 assists
2) NIA Stephen Dhillon – 29 saves
3) NIA Jordan Maletta – 1 goal, 1 assist