Thursday Highlights: Stevenson’s late goal helps Storm out of slump

 

GUELPH 4, NORTH BAY 3
Keegan Stevenson scored the go-ahead goal as the Guelph Storm edged the North Bay Battalion 4-3 in a back and forth contest to snap their 10-game losing skid. Matthew Papais (7) found the back of the net to open the Storm scoring before Mitchell Russell (17) scored on a breakaway to even things up. Eric Uba’s 20th on the year put the Storm ahead again until captain Luke Moncada (25, 26) gave the Troops the edge. Minnesota Wild pick Fedor Gordeev evened things up once again with his second of the season and Stevenson (17) netted the game winner just minutes later with 4:02 remaining. The Storm bump up to sixth in the Western Conference with a 23-18-1-4 record, while the Battalion stick around at fifth in the Central Division and 11-33-2-0 on the year.
GAME CENTRE

 

SUDBURY 3, BARRIE 2 OT
Quinton Byfield scored in the third period as well as 31 seconds into overtime to push the Sudbury Wolves to a 3-2 OT win over their Central Division rival Barrie Colts. Sudbury sophomore and NHL Draft hopeful Jack Thompson (11) scored the lone first period goal for an early 1-0 Wolves lead, and fellow NHL Draft eligible Tyson Foerster (27) found the back of the net 37 seconds into the middle frame for Barrie’s tying goal. Third year Colt Victor Hadfield (5) brought his team ahead early in the final period until Byfield (30) scored minutes later to send the match to overtime, where he’d follow up with another to earn the win and snap Barrie’s three-game win streak. The shots totaled 41-30 in favour of the Wolves, who improve to 51 points on the season with a 25-21-1-0 record and continue to lead the division. Vancouver Canucks prospect Arturs Silovs stopped 38 of 41, earning first star honours to help the Colts earn a point. Barrie continues to sit in the middle of the division and see their record drop to 19-21-3-2.
GAME CENTRE

 

FLINT 8, WINDSOR 3
Ty Dellandrea and Jack Wismer recorded a pair of goals each, guiding their Flint Firebirds to an 8-3 toppling of the Windsor Spitfires for their fifth win in a row. The Birds got off to a 6-0 start with goals from Connor Roberts (14), Quinn Yule (2), Cody Morgan (12), Dellandrea (27, 28), and Wismer (13). Dellandrea’s second goal came on a penalty shot, capping off his fifth consecutive two-goal appearance. Windsor finally got some life off the sticks of rookie Wyatt Johnston (8), Columbus Blue Jackets pick Tyler Angle (22), and Dallas stars prospect Curtis Douglas (20), but Flint extended their lead with late markers from Braeden Kressler (4) and Wismer (14). Luke Cavallin stopped 17 to collect the win on a light night of work while Spitfires rookie Matt Tovell got into his first OHL action in relief of Xavier Medina. The Birds remain third in the West Division and see their record climb to 27-17-1-1, while the neighbouring Spits remain a point behind the Saginaw Spirit at second in the Division with a 28-11-5-0 record.
GAME CENTRE

 

OTTAWA 3, NIAGARA 2
Two-point performances from league leaders Jack Quinn and Noel Hoefenmayer helped push the Ottawa 67’s to a seventh straight victory in a 3-1 road win over the Niagara IceDogs. Daylon Groulx (12) scored early in the first period for a 1-0 Ottawa lead that they’d carry into the second period. Niagara’s Jackson Doherty (3) tied the game, and Quinn (38) and Hoefenmayer (18) struck next to bring the 67’s up by two. Cameron Butler (15) cut the lead late in the final frame, but the Dogs were unable to fight all the way back. Quinn’s 38th of the year continues to lead all OHL skaters, while Hoefenmayer remains the league’s leading defenceman in points with 65 (18-47—65). Ottawa outshot Niagara 45-22 as IceDogs netminder Christian Sbaraglia earned second star recognition with 42 saves. Ottawa’s Will Cranley improved to 12-1 on the season with 20 saves. He hasn’t lost a game since Oct. 6th. The IceDogs have now dropped three straight games and have lost eight of their last 10, holding a 17-23-4-1 record at eighth in the Eastern Conference. Ottawa remains at the top of the OHL standings at 37-7-0-0 and have now earned wins in 24 of their last 25 appearances.
GAME CENTRE

 

SOO 2, PETERBOROUGH 1
Rookie goaltender Nick Malik stopped 37 of 38, backstopping the Soo Greyhounds to a 2-1 road win in Peterborough. Leading Greyhounds scorer Zack Trott notched a goal and an assist. Sophomore Tye Kartye (19) and Trott (18) put the Greyhounds up 2-0 within the first 20 minutes. Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson (35) then scored in his ninth straight game to cut the Soo lead in half and ultimately round out the scoring. Peterborough outshot Sault Ste. Marie 38-26 only to suffer their fourth straight loss. The Greyhounds’ record improves to 22-23-2-0 at fourth in the West Division with their second straight win. Peterborough falls to 28-17-2-1, lingering in the East Division’s second place position.
GAME CENTRE