Solid play pushes Storm to 12-9-0-1 on the season
There’s no doubting that the Guelph Storm have been riding a rollercoaster so far this season, with just as many lows, as there have been highs. However, the defending champions put together two strong, and complete, performances for victories over the Plymouth Whalers on Nov. 21, and their highway seven rival in the Kitchener Rangers on Nov. 23.
For the second consecutive home game, the Storm pocketed nine goals in a 9-3 win over the Whalers. Robby Fabbri recorded his second hat-trick of the month, with rookie Matthew Hotchkiss finding the back of the net twice. In addition, sophomore Adam Craievich broke a 20-game scoreless drought, and Chris Marchese – acquired hours prior to the game from the Windsor Spitfires – also scored in the contest.
Despite the lopsided score, the match-up was a nail-biter through two periods of play. Just four minutes into the game, Storm rookie defenseman Austin Hall scored his second of the season, firing one past Whalers’ netminder Alex Nedeljkovic.
Acquired hours prior to the Guelph Storm’s match-up against the Plymouth Whalers on Nov. 21, Chris Marchese registered a goal and two assists in the 9-3 victory. On Nov. 23 in the 3-0 over the Kitchener Rangers, Marchese also notched an assist before injuring his finger in the contest. Photo By Karyn Stepien.
The lead would be short lived, however, as Bryce Yetman got the Whalers on the board to tie the game minutes later.
Fabbri would be next, allowing the home squad to close out the period with a 2-1 lead, capitalizing on a pass from defenseman Noah Carroll on the rush.
The middle frame began with the Storm on a four-minute power play, an advantage Fabbri would pocket his second of the game on with an incredible deke to put Guelph ahead by two.
Not quite out of it yet, the Whalers responded quickly as Mathieu Henderson brought Plymouth back within one.
Back on the power play later in the period, Fabbri registered his third of the game – and his second hat trick of November – restoring the two-goal lead for the Storm off a beautiful pass from Tyler Bertuzzi.
Matt Mistele would capitalize next, bringing the Whalers within one to end the middle frame. However, that would be the last for Plymouth, as the Storm exploded for five unanswered goals in the third period to solidify the 9-3 win.
Zac Leslie was notable on the back end for Guelph, recording three assists in the contest. Between the pipes, Nichols turned away 29 saves in the win, while Nedeljkovic stopped 39 of 48 shots fired his way.
The following Sunday on Nov. 23, Guelph hosted the Kitchener Rangers for the first time this season, on the hunt for their first win against the highway seven rivals after being defeated twice previously in Kitchener.
Unlike the Storm’s two prior home games, the contest didn’t feature nine goal celebrations; instead, it was a full 60-minutes of gritty hockey with Nichols recording the shutout. The 32-save shutout moved the St. Catharines native into a fifth-place tie with former Storm goaltender Ryan MacDonald on the franchise shutout list, both with five.
Opening the scoring was defenseman Ben Harpur, who blasted one in from the blue line six minutes into the game. The go-ahead goal would be Harpur’s first of three points on the night.
The second period saw Bertuzzi extend the lead to two off a one-timed shot, set up perfectly by Fabbri who was behind the Rangers’ net. Despite the 2-0 advantage on the scoreboard heading into the second intermission, the shots were a close 19-18 in favour of the Storm, a subtle reminder to many that the game was far from over.
Nichols put on a solid performance in the blue paint, turning away 14 shots in the third period to fend off any chance of Kitchener clawing back into the game.
It would be Bertuzzi who would pocket his second of the game, and the insurance marker, with the empty netter to give the Storm a 3-0 victory over their highway seven rivals.
The loss was the Rangers’ first regulation loss in 16 games.
Guelph hits the road next to face off against the North Bay Battalion on Nov. 27.