The Guelph Storm boast character in two consecutive victories
With a starting roster as depleted as it has been for the Guelph Storm over the course of the 2014-15 season, many would have had the defending champions – who dressed a low of 18 players – already down and out heading into Sault Ste. Marie on Jan.16.
The Storm, however, facing off against the newly reloaded – and the Western Conference’s best – Greyhounds, had other plans to begin their three-in-three weekend stretch.
Van Schubert…turned aside 41 shots in the victory…
Heading into the final period of play knotted up at two-a-piece, the Storm were pushing for their first victory against the Greyhounds this campaign, and were doing so convincingly. Although, it would be former Peterborough Pete and member of the 2015 gold medal winning Team Canada, Nick Ritchie, who would find the back of the net with less than five minutes remaining to solidify the 3-2 win for the home squad.
Rookie netminder Bradley van Schubert had 43 saves in the loss, while Zac Leslie and Jason Dickinson had the goals for the Storm.
Collectively, Van Schubert, Leslie, and Dickinson continued to make individual impacts in the remaining games of the weekend, providing much needed support in both character victories that followed.
Not as strong off the hop the following night on Jan. 17 in Saginaw, the Storm fell behind 4-1 to the Spirit after one period of play. The Spirit’s Dylan Sadowy registered a three-point frame, pocketing two goals and an assist. The effort, however, would not be enough.
Tyler Bertuzzi and Tyler Boston led the comeback for the Storm, as the two each registered two goals, with Pius Suter netting the game winner with just over five minutes remaining in the game. With four unanswered goals in a relentless effort, Guelph took home the two points in a 5-4 victory.
The Storm outshot the Spirit 46-28. Despite being on the lower end of the shots-faced scale, Van Schubert rebounded incredibly in the match-up, coming up with significant saves – specifically in the third period – after allowing four goals on 11 shots in the first.
Left without a star recognition would be rookie Boston, who had the best offensive game of his OHL-career in the contest with two goals and an assist.
In the final game of the three-in-three stretch, the Storm returned home to the Sleeman Centre to host the Eastern Conference’s Kingston Frontenacs on Jan. 18. The game, off the ice, was Guelph’s “Talk Today Night” in support of the OHL’s partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association labeled “Talk Today.”
The partnership was a response to the suicide of Terry Trafford, a former player for the Saginaw Spirit, in 2014. The program creates a support system, maintaining safe environments for the discussion of mental health.
On the ice, the Storm jumped ahead with a two-goal lead with a first period marker from Leslie and a shorthanded tally from Dickinson just under two minutes into the middle frame. With the goals, Leslie extended his point-streak to four games, totaling for three goals and two assists, while Dickinson has posted at least a point in each of the last nine games, compiling five goals and eight assists for 13 points over the stretch.
The Frontenacs, however, remained in the game, cutting the lead in half with a goal from Juho Lammikko on the power play.
Guelph’s Tyler Hill found the back of the net next, registering his first point as a member of the Storm since being acquired prior to the trade deadline.
Much to the dismay of the home crowd, with eight seconds remaining in the contest, Kingston would complete their third period comeback, knotting the game up at three-a-piece.
The Storm would hold off the Frontenacs, however, with none other than Suter pocketing his second consecutive game-winner with just under a minute left in overtime. Hill would notch his second point as a member of the Storm, setting the Swiss-Sensation up with a smart feed.
Van Schubert, starting in his third consecutive game, turned aside 41 shots in the victory, earning the game’s first star.
Looking to build on their back-to-back victories, the Storm head full force into another three-in-three weekend stretch that features the Erie Otters in town on Jan. 23, followed by a trip to visit the Plymouth Whalers, only to cap off the weekend back at the Sleeman Centre playing host to the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds the next afternoon on Jan. 25.