The puck budget took a hit at the Sleeman Centre Friday night.
Several were saved as souvenirs as it was a night of many firsts for the Guelph Storm in its 4-0 win over the Owen Sound Attack.
First win of the season for the Storm, first OHL goals for Andrei Bakanov and Ben McFarlane, first OHL assist for Jacob Roach and first win as an OHL coaching for Storm associate coach Chad Wiseman.
Wiseman was filling in for head coach George Burnett, whose daughter Hanna was being inducted into the Wilfrid Laurier University Sports Hall of Fame on Friday.
"You want George to be happy when he comes back, so it's a little easier when he comes back to a 4-0 win than a 4-0 loss," Wiseman said with a laugh.
"It was a pretty fun night and a fun game to be part of," said Wiseman.
Celebrations aside, the Storm played a solid game against an Owen Sound team coming into Guelph on the heels of a 10-0 thrashing of the Barrie Colts the night before.
"We spoke about that. Owen Sound was going to come in here with some swagger after a big win (Thursday) night and we did a fantastic job of tracking through the middle with a good wedge and keeping pucks to the outside, limiting chances against and I thought we did a really good job in the D zone," Wiseman said.
"Even though they kind of came out early, we kind of weathered it and did a good job pushing back late in the first."
They beat back some first period energy by the visitors then took advantage of their opportunities in the second period, scoring all four of their goals on just nine shots on Attack goaltender Mack Guzda.
Providing the firm base for the night was a 28-save shutout by Nico Daws, his second in the OHL.
Bakanov goal was a bullet of a wrist shot from near the boards that found the top corner of the Owen Sound net behind a surprised Guzda.
"It's awesome. The first goal is always something to remember," said Bakanov, who played in the USHL last season.
"Since I was young I would just cross the blue line, just put it on the net and score every time. Now all the guys are just saying 'keep shooting' and I'm just shooting it."
The big Russian said he's thrilled to be playing in the OHL.
"I love it here. I love Guelph, the organization and everything about it," he said.
Wiseman said Bakanov has tonnes of skill, but it's his compete level that has been most impressive.
"He shoots the puck like a pro and he's got tonnes of skill, but he gets involved in every battle and he goes to the tough areas. He's going to be a really good player for us," Wiseman said.
The same two teams go at it again Saturday night in Owen Sound where a pair of rookie goalies, Guelph's Owen Bennett and Owen Sound's Nick Chenard, are expected to get their first OHL starts.
