Storm host Attack tomorrow at 7:30pm

by Eric Balnar, Guelphstorm.com

The Guelph Storm put their perfect record on the line as division rival Owen Sound Attack make their first appearance to the Sleeman Centre on Friday at 7:30pm.

Friday night’s contest pits two high-scoring clubs against each other. Both teams play a quick, physical style of hockey that should make for an entertaining style of hockey.

Guelph is off to a 3-0-0 start to the season for the first time since 2008. Their play has received attention across Canada earning them the third spot in the BMO CHL Top 10 rankings.

Owen Sound is expected to have a competitive team this year but should have to fight for a playoff spot right to the very end. Their play this season has reflected that prediction. The Attack are 2-2-0-1 and fourth place in the Midwest but have played two more games than the Kitchener Rangers.

The Storm will hope to leave the Sleeman Centre a 4-0-0 team. Things will get more difficult for the Storm in the next two weeks. Right after they finish their game on Friday, they hit the road for the first of six games away from home.

Here is what to watch for in Friday’s game: 

The Players

Owen Sound: Gemel Smith – He leads the league in goals (9) and points (11). Smith has tallied a point in each of his five games so far including two hat-tricks. Smith is not the tallest player, barely standing at 5’10, but early on he seems to find himself in the right place at the right time to put pucks in the back of the net. The Storm will look to shut down the talented Dallas Stars prospect and limit his offensive chances.

Guelph: Storm goaltending – Guelph has benefitted from three excellent goaltending performances this season split between their two netminders: Justin Nichols and Matthew Mancina. No matter who gets the start, both have shown early in the year they have the ability to anchor a team. Mancina, the rookie, is tall, still and confident in between the pipes. Nichols is small, battles around the net, and uses a lot more of his body to get in front of pucks. Two different methods but both goalies are effective in the net.

The Stats

Getting the Calls – Owen Sound has drawn the most penalties out of any team in the OHL. In five games, the Attack has had 40 chances with the man advantage and converted on 25% of the them. That’s an average of eight power plays a game. On the road, Owen Sound is 6 for 12 on power play opportunities.

Brock is ready to rock – Last year, Brock McGinn absolutely dominated the Owen Sound Attack. McGinn scored six goals, added two helpers and totalled eight points in six games vs. the Attack. The Guelph forward is off to a good start to this season too. He’s got four points in the first three games.

Get the Goal Horn Ready – Guelph scores an average of five goals per game while Owen Sound allows close to five a game. The Attack’s 4.80 goals against average is the second worst in the OHL. Guelph has goal scorers on all four lines meaning it could be a busy night for the guy pulling the goal horn.

The Final Word

Guelph is definitely the favourite in this game. But as head coach Scott Walker noted, when you are the top ranked team in Ontario everybody else will bring their “A” game.

Owen Sound does have weapons beyond Gemel Smith. Zach Nastasiuk is a Detroit Red Wing draft pick who can create on the ice. But after losing some of their top scorers from last year, the Attack will need some of the younger players to step up.

For Guelph, their depth has been outstanding. The team is deep and features a barrage of guys who can create plays. Brock McGinn showed he can be physical while putting the puck in the net. Jason Dickinson showed why he can be one of the most dominating players in the league to start the season by tallying 6 points in three games. Even two defenseman, Matt Finn and Zac Leslie, have four points to start the year. Shut down down one line and another will hurt you.

Guelph still must be careful – they can’t get caught looking ahead to Saturday’s anticipated with London. They’ll be looking to the crowd at the Sleeman Centre to help give them a boost and keep their perfect record alive.

Face-off is at 7:30 on Friday night. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 519-837-9690, visiting the Guelph Storm Box Office in Old Quebec street Mall or online here. New this year, tickets can also be purchased at the new Storm Kiosk in Stone Road Mall near H&M.