Guelph now 8-5-0-1 after weekend win and loss
The Guelph Storm had some less-than-familiar opponents in back-to-back Eastern Conference match-ups against the Barrie Colts and the Ottawa 67’s.
On Nov. 1, the Storm travelled to Barrie to face-off against the former team of 2014 NHL first round selection, Aaron Ekblad. Guelph’s Robby Fabbri would score the game winner in the shootout, while goaltender Justin Nichols was perfect on three Barrie attempts to take home the 3-2 victory.
The first 20 minutes of the game featured a total of 24 penalty-minutes, including three 5-on-3 advantages for the Storm. The visiting squad, however, would be unable to capitalize on the power play, scoring the first goal of the contest early in the period at even strength. Pius Suter, reaching a career-high in goals, with ten on the season, would hammer home a rebound off a Jason Dickinson shot to give the Storm a 1-0 lead. Luke Burghardt, making his OHL debut, recorded his first OHL point with an assist on the go-ahead goal.
Storm defenseman Garrett McFadden would be called for interference at 12:49 of the first, followed by Dickinson getting two in the box for a check-from-behind nine seconds later, to give the Colts a 5-on-3 advantage of their own. The Colts capitalized with Kevin Labanc putting one past Nichols, tying the game up at one.
Both Nichols and Colts’ 16-year-old netminder, Ruan Badenhorst – playing in his first OHL game – would be the story for most of the second period until the 18:27 mark. Tyler Bertuzzi would be given a five-minute major, and a game misconduct, after a hit on C.J. Garcia of Barrie. Garcia, who needed assistance off the ice after the play, returned to the bench at the start of the third period.
15 seconds into the power play would be all the Colts needed to take advantage, as Andrew Mangiapane put the home team up 2-1.
Marc Stevens, with his first on the season, would even up the score for the Storm in the third period, a goal that would force overtime, and, eventually, a shootout.
Fabbri was the lone scorer in the shootout, pocketing a nifty backhand-forehand game-winning goal.
Nichols was rock-solid between the pipes for Guelph once again, turning away 29 shots on the game. Rookie Badenhurst put forth a remarkable performance in the crease as well, stopping 38 of 40 shots including 21 of 22 faced in the first period alone.
The following afternoon in Guelph provided a similar storyline with a different – and disappointing – ending. On Nov. 2, the visiting Ottawa 67’s would steal a 3-2 win in the final minute of the third period to hand the Storm their fifth regulation loss of the season.
Just five minutes into the game, Dickinson would capitalize for the 1-0 lead off a rush with Suter and Burghardt. The assist recorded by Burghardt would be his second in two career-OHL games, and his first at home at the Sleeman Centre.
The first period, however, provided the foundation for an obvious goalie battle early on, with both teams reaching double digits in shots. Nichols and 67’s goaltender, Liam Herbst, faced a combined 24 shots in the first frame.
Ottawa came out flying in the second period, getting results from their offensive pressure at the hands of Ben Fanjoy who put a wrist shot past Nichols to tie the game.
With 2:16 remaining in the second, the 67’s took the 2-1 lead as the OHL’s 4th leading goal scorer, Dante Salituro, beat Nichols’ glove hand.
The Storm would tie the game up at two in the final 20 minutes with Suter netting the goal. Dickinson and Fabbri recorded the assists.
Looking as though the Storm were headed for their second overtime in two games, the 67’s would capitalize with just 41 seconds remaining on the clock. Ottawa’s Ben Fanjoy capitalized from the hash marks, pocketing his second of the game to steal the 3-2 win.
The loss snapped an eight game win streak for the Storm versus the 67’s, and saw their season record drop to 8-5-0-1.
Guelph heads to London on Nov. 6 to face off against the Knights.