What a game.
Ethan Czata scored to tie it with 1:21 remaining and then Grant Spada was the overtime hero, as Guelph Storm clipped Owen Sound Attack 2-1 in Ontario Hockey League action Friday night at Sleeman Centre.
This one was what divisional games should look like. Hard fought, tough battles, a couple of fights. The Attack went toe-to-toe with the OHL-best Storm and were 81 seconds away from escaping with a road upset.
It just didn’t happen. The Storm found a way.
“I said before the game we had to put together a complete, disciplined, structured and detailed effort. And we did. Down our first-line centre too, guys stepped up throughout our lineup and I felt as though we deserved a better fate,” Attack Head Coach Keenan Reynolds says. “Kind of the same storyline. We created some changes, but weren’t opportunistic enough.”
“And they found a way. That’s what good teams do – credit to them,” Reynolds continues. “But I’m proud of the effort, for sure.”
Guelph (14-3) won its fifth straight game.
Harry Nansi had the lone goal for the Attack (6-10-2), recording his 100th career OHL point in the process. He put Owen Sound ahead 1-0 in the first minute of the second period, picking up a loose puck in the crease off his own pass attempt that Storm goaltender Zach Jovanovski lost track of – and then backhanding it in.
That goal held until the late stages of the third.
Both goaltenders were stellar. Ryerson Leenders was perfect for 58 minutes and 39 seconds, calmly patrolling the net and routinely using his mitt to alleviate pressure and allow line changes.
Jovanovski made some big stops of his own – keeping the Storm within one in the third until Czata supplied the tying goal.
Lucas Prud’homme and Carter Kucher fought in the first period. Kucher and Wesley Royston dropped the gloves in the second. Blocked shots, hard hits, tough puck battles to try and push the puck out of the defensive zone. It was a playoff-style game in November.
“We kept them to the exterior,” Reynolds says. “A little frustrating we didn’t get a power play all game. I felt when we got the power play we were going to make them pay and score that insurance goal.”
“As much as it’s a moral victory and we got a point out of it, we have to turn our attention to Kitchener tomorrow.”
Jovanovski made 35 saves in the win, while Leenders stopped 38 taking the loss. Guelph outshot Owen Sound 40-36 while going 0 for 2 on the power play; the Attack did not have power play opportunity in the game.
Next up for Owen Sound is the annual Hockey Fights Cancer game at the Bayshore Saturday night against the Kitchener Rangers. It’s the start of a four-game homestand.
NO DELI
The Owen Sound Attack were without Max Delisle for Friday’s game, who was out due to an illness. Alex Taylor was recalled from GOHL Caledonia Corvairs and suited up against Guelph. Wesley Royston also returned after missing Wednesday in Sarnia due to illness.