Nichols shuts out Rangers as Storm hit 100 points
Brendan Zwambag
Justin Nichols continued his wizardry against the Kitchener Rangers in a 2-0 victory at The Aud on Tuesday, March 4, 2014.
Nichols and the Storm remain perfect against their Highway 7 rivals this season as the sophomore goaltender blanked the Rangers for the third time.
It was a battle of the goaltenders as rookie netminder Matthew Greenfield turned in a solid performance for the Rangers, stopping 49 of 50 shots to keep it close right until the end.
Robby Fabbri was the only skater to beat either goaltender when Kerby Rychel found him alone in front. Fabbri beat Greenfield with a quick shot after Rychel hit him perfectly with a behind-the-back pass as he muscled his way out from behind the net.
That was all that Nichols would need as he kicked aside 32 shots to improve to 34 wins on the year. His win column against the Rangers this season now reads the same as his total losses (regulation and overtime/shootout).
Zack Mitchell sealed the win with his 30th of the season into the empty net with 30 seconds to play. He fired the puck the length of the ice and into the centre of the net after winning a race to a loose puck in the corner as the Storm were killing a late penalty.
The overage winger also assisted on Fabbri’s goal to give him four straight multi-point games and extend his point scoring streak to nine.
It capped off a big day for Mitchell, as he signed with the Minnesota Wild earlier in the day.
Nick Ebert recorded the lone assist on the empty netter.
With the win, the Storm have broken the 100-point barrier for the second time in team history.
One more win will pull them even with the 2003/04 team that finished with 103 points.
Guelph’s first attempt to tie that record comes against the Owen Sound Attack on Friday. They will have four more cracks at tying (and possibly beating) that record before the close of the regular season.
One of those games will be against the Rangers, one week from tomorrow.
Storm 2, Rangers 0
1st Period
No Scoring
Penalties – None
2nd Period
1-0 GUE Fabbri (42) (Rychel, Mitchell) 10:06
Penalties – McGinn GUE (Goaltender Interference) 1:16, Marcantuoni KIT (Holding) 10:58, Mitchell GUE (Tripping) 18:45
3rd Period
2-0 GUE Mitchell (30) (Ebert) 19:30 EN SH
Penalties – DiPerna KIT (Fighting) 7:59, Pierog GUE (Instigator) 7:59, Pierog GUE (Fighting) 7:59, Pierog GUE (Game Misconduct) 7:59, Blaisdell KIT (Boarding) 11:21, Fanelli KIT (Roughing) 14:08, Mitchell GUE (Elbowing) 14:08, Auger GUE (Slashing) 18:19
Shots GUE 12-17-22 –51 KIT 13-9-10 – 32
Goalies GUE Nichols (34-6-1-0) 32-32 KIT Greenfield (9-19-0-1) 49-50
Powerplay GUE – 0-2 KIT – 0-4
3 Stars
1. Nichols, GUE
2. Greenfield, KIT
3. Fabbri, GUE
