Thursday Highlights: Hounds force Game 6

Thursday April 30, 2015

Bryan Moore’s goal with 7:05 remaining in regulation stood as the difference maker as the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds live to play another day with a 4-2 win over the Erie Otters on Thursday. The Hounds narrow Erie’s series lead to 3-2, outshooting their opponent 39-28 in front of a capacity crowd at the Essar Centre. Highlights / Post-Game Comments #SSMvsER

“It was a real gutsy effort from our guys,” said Greyhounds coach Sheldon Keefe following the win. “Our backs were against the wall and that was the type of effort that was required.”

The Greyhounds bounced back from an early deficit as Erie’s Nick Baptiste stayed hot, building off his four goal effort on Tuesday to beat Brandon Halverson 2:06 into the opening frame off a turnover deep inside Soo territory.

The Hounds bounced back on the powerplay at 12:09 as Jared McCann’s one-timer beat Devin Williams with assists going to Anthony DeAngelo and Sergey Tolchinsky.

The game remained knotted at one into the third period after Williams made some big saves in the second to keep the Otters in the game. Sault Ste. Marie controlled the shooting column 28-13 heading into period number three.

Michael Bunting and Travis Dermott swapped goals in the opening five minutes of the third before Moore’s winner came off a shot from down the left wing inside the far post with the lone assist going to Jean Dupuy.

The Hounds would have to overcome some late adversity as a delay of game penalty put them on their heels in the final two minutes of the game with Erie’s crease vacated.

Some big stops from goaltender Brandon Halverson combined with a timely shot block from defenceman Tyler Ganly and an empty net goal from Gabe Guertler saw the Hounds hang on for a 4-2 victory to send the series back to Erie for Game 6 on Saturday.

“That last two minutes was really tough,” said Keefe. You’ve got their best talent out there in a 6-on-4 situation but we grinded it out. Halvy made a great save for us and we just battled our way through it. Gabe Guertler left it all out on the ice to get that empty netter. He came back to the bench with nothing left.”

Erie goaltender Devin Williams earned first star honours, turning aside 36 of the 39 shots he faced while Bryan Moore and Sergey Tolchinsky rounded out the honoured trio on Thursday.

“I think our boys competed really hard and defended well but ultimately the difference was the powerplays tonight,” Otters coach Kris Knoblauch noted. “We had to defend so much and when your top players also kill penalties, it takes a lot out of them.”

“We need to stay out of the penalty box and give our offensive players an opportunity to score goals.”

Saturday’s game can be seen live on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West, Pacific and 360 at 7:30pm from Erie Insurance Arena.

“We’re going to need to have the game of our lives and the game of our season on Saturday night to bring it back here for a Game 7,” Keefe concluded.

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