Storm top Colts with shootout win
The Guelph Storm improve to 8-4-0-1 after Robby Fabbri pockets shootout winner in 3-2 victory over Barrie Colts.
Steph Coratti, GuelphStorm.com
The Guelph Storm got their first shootout victory of the season after defeating the Barrie Colts 3-2. Robby Fabbri was the lone goal scorer in the shootout, scoring an incredible backhand-forehand game winner for the visiting Storm. Goaltender Justin Nichols had another strong display between the pipes turning away 29 shots on the game and coming out perfect in the shootout.
The first period featured 20 minutes full of special teams play. Pius Suter would score the first goal of the contest early in the period capitalizing on a Jason Dickinson rebound to put the Storm up 1-0. Luke Burghardt, appearing in his first OHL game, recorded his first OHL point with an assist on the goal.
That would be just about it for even strength play as the Storm would be given two 5-on-3 advantages nearly back-to-back later in the first. The Storm wouldn’t be able to capitalize on either opportunity.
At 12:49 of the period, Garrett McFadden would take an interference penalty followed by Jason Dickinson called for a check-from-behind merely nine seconds later to give the Colts a 5-on-3 advantage of their own. The Colts, however, would capitalize with Kevin Labanc tying the game up at one.
The first period alone featured a total of 24 penalty minutes; Barrie was penalized for 16 minutes, while the Storm were in the box for eight. The Storm had a total of three 5-on-3 man-advantages, none of them converted into successful opportunities.
16-year-old netminder Ruan Badenhorst – making his OHL debut with the Colts – was remarkable in the first period, turning away 21 of 22 shots.
Nichols would shine in net for the Storm in the middle frame, coming up with three huge saves early on with the Colts on the hunt for a shorthanded goal with Justin Scott serving a two-minute goalie interference penalty.
At the 18:27 mark of the second, Tyler Bertuzzi would be given a five-minute major and a game misconduct after a hit on Barrie’s C.J. Garcia. Garcia, who would need assistance off the ice, would return at the start of the third.
Just 15 seconds into Bertuzzi’s five-minute penalty, Andrew Mangiapane would put the Colts ahead 2-1.
With the Storm on the hunt for the tying goal, the last 20 minutes saw the visiting team pick up the offensive pressure. Just over the halfway mark of the period, Jason Dickinson would be stopped on a breakaway by rookie Badenhorst, who continued to be solid between the pipes for the Colts.
It would take sophomore hands to even up the score, however, as Marc Stevens pocketed his first of the season and tied the game at two, finally giving the Storm a power play goal on the game.
Both teams were unable to solve the 2-2 score in regulation, forcing overtime. The extra five-minutes wouldn’t solve much either though, as action was fairly limited. Suter would ring a shot off the iron around the final minute of the extra period, while Nichols would be forced to come up big with 30 seconds remaining to push the game into a shootout.
Brendan Lemieux of the Barrie Colts would shoot first, going in on Nichols to fake a slap shot. Nichols, showing great patience, wouldn’t bite and turned away the attempt.
Suter and Barrie’s leading point-getter Joseph Blandisi would both be unsuccessful in their opportunities, followed by Robby Fabbri who would score an incredible backhand-forehand shootout winner as Lebanc was unable to keep the contest going after shooting wide of the net next.
The Storm, winning their first shootout of the season, would take home the 3-2 victory.
Both goaltenders were solid in net with Nichols stopping 29 of 31 shots, while Badenhorst turned away 38 of 40 shots in his OHL debut.
Guelph returns home on Sunday for a 2:00 p.m. puck drop against the Ottawa 67’s. The game features the Storm’s annual Food Drive game. Fans attending are encouraged to bring non-perishable items to help support the Guelph Food Bank.
GAME NOTES
– PowerLessPlay: The Guelph Storm went 1/11 on power play opportunities including three unsuccessful 5-on-3 advantages in the first period alone.
– OHL Debuts: Storm rookie Luke Burghardt made his OHL debut tonight, recording his first OHL point with an assist on the first goal of the contest scored by Pius Suter. The Barrie Colts’ goaltender Ruan Badenhorst, getting the nod between the pipes for his first OHL start, was the fourth starter for the Colts so far this season. The 16-year-old was solid in the blue paint, turning away 38 of 40 shots.
– Welcome Back, Bill: Storm assistant coach Bill Stewart was given a nice welcome back from the Barrie Colts organization and fans during the game tonight. Stewart last coached the Barrie Colts in 1999-2000 when he took them to the Memorial Cup.
