Two Teddy Bear Toss points for Storm
Nearly three months into the season, the Guelph Storm and their Highway 7 rivals squared off for the first time with the visitors grabbing a 3-2 shootout win. The Storm and the Rangers will cross paths seven more times during the final three months of the campaign igniting one of the CHL’s greatest rivalries.
While Guelph carried the play in the early going, it was the Rangers that opened the scoring and opened the teddy bear floodgates as over 8,000 stuffed toys hit the ice to celebrate. After a lengthy delay, play resumed with the Storm outshooting Kitchener 13-6 in the first twenty minutes, but Brent Pederson’s teddy bear goal held up as the Rangers took a 1-0 lead into the break.
The Storm wasted little time knotting the game at one in the second period on Zack Mitchell’s 11th of the year. The contest remained tied at one until late in third when Kitchener capitalized on their fifth powerplay opportunity of the evening. Guelph pulled Garret Sparks in favour of the extra attacker with nearly two minutes left in regulation and the gamble paid off as Tanner Richard drove the net and banged home the equalizer with 57 seconds left to play.
After five minutes of scoreless overtime highlighted by a pair of great Kitchener opportunities, the game was headed to a shootout. While Sparks turned aside two of three Kitchener shooters, two Storm goals on two attempts decided the outcome.
Guelph will go for their second straight win on Friday night at the Sleeman Centre against the Owen Sound Attack. Friday’s game will be the Storm’s annual Teddy Bear Toss. One night later, the Erie Otters will make it four in a row against Midwest Division competition.
Guelph Storm 3 (SO) at Kitchener Rangers 2 – Status: Final SO
Tuesday, December 4, 2012 – Kitchener Memorial Auditorium
Guelph 0 1 1 0 – 3
Kitchener 1 0 1 0 – 2
1st Period-1, Kitchener, Pedersen 4 (Faksa, Fanelli), 6:28. Penalties-Fanelli Kit (high sticking), 3:01; Pedan Gue (roughing), 10:11; Horvat Gue (fight-inst. upon), 16:42; Ming Kit (instigator, fighting, misc-instigating), 16:42.
2nd Period-2, Guelph, Mitchell 11 (Pedan, Kosmachuk), 1:26. Penalties-Garlent Gue (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 5:52; Harpur Gue (roughing), 11:36; Auger Gue (hooking), 18:19.
3rd Period-3, Kitchener, Thomson 5 (Murphy , McEneny), 16:06 (PP). 4, Guelph, Richard 3 (Mitchell, Kosmachuk), 19:03. Penalties-Genovese Kit (interference), 3:32; Richard Gue (hooking), 14:58.
OT Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties
Shootout – Guelph 2 (McGinn G, Dickinson G), Kitchener 1 (Faksa NG, Pedersen G, Marcantuoni NG).
Shots on Goal-Guelph 13-7-21-2-1-44. Kitchener 6-12-13-4-0-35.
Power Play Opportunities-Guelph 0 / 3; Kitchener 1 / 5.
Goalies-Guelph, Sparks 16-7-0-3 (35 shots-33 saves). Kitchener, Palazzese 6-2-1-2 (43 shots-41 saves).
A-7,378
Referees-Ryan Carroll (9), Scott Oakman (23).
Linesmen-Dustin McCrank (68), Tim Steen (75).
