Storm earns first win of the season
By Tony Saxon, Guelph Mercury
A little heart, a little hard work and a whole lot of Justin Nichols helped the Guelph Storm record its first win of the season Friday night at the Sleeman Centre.
Tyler Boston and James McEwan both swatted home rebounds in the second period and Nichols stood on his head in the third as the Storm downed the Owen Sound Attack 3-1.
McEwen would add a second goal in the final minute of play as the Storm handed Owen Sound its first loss in regulation this season.
“These guys deserve it. There are a lot of young guys in that dressing room and they’ve been working real hard since Day 1 of training camp,” said Nichols, who made 37 saves on the night, 14 of them in the third period.
“This is the hardest working team I’ve ever been a part of and every single guy in that dressing room has a great attitude,” Nichols said.
The Attack came on strong in the third period and things got a little dicey when Bryson Cianfrone made it 2-1 just 3:44 into the final frame.
But after a few minutes of circle-the-wagons hockey, the Storm regrouped and played a very solid final 10 minutes that included killing off a 56-second five-on-three disadvantage.
“I guess Nichols likes playing Owen Sound all the time,” Storm coach Bill Stewart said, referring to the two teams’ previous meeting this season, a 1-0 loss in overtime.
“We’re going to need him every game. He’s a difference maker and obviously he was that guy again today,” Stewart said.
Stewart said the players deserve credit for gutting out the final 10 minutes of the game the way they did.
“Give them credit. They earned it,” he said.
