Let us count the ways Brayden Guy helped the Guelph Storm earn a much-needed win Monday night at the Sleeman Centre.
First there was the energy his line created late in the second period with the Storm trailing 3-1 that resulted in a late goal by the Storm's overage captain, making it a one-goal game heading into the third.
Then there was winning the battle in front of the net that resulted in Luka Profaca's slapshot hitting him in the pants before hitting the back of the net for what would prove to be the winning goal.
Then there was the Herculean forechecking he provided to help protect the lead late in the third, including a shut-down final shift in the Erie zone with linemates Ben McFarlane and Cooper Walker that prevented the Otters from pulling goaltender Nolan Lalonde for the extra attacker.
All in all, a pretty fine night's work in a 4-3 win.
"We knew we could take over that game. We could feel it coming," Guy said of a game that saw the Storm get better as it went on.
Sasha Pastujov gave Guelph the early lead just 62 seconds into the game, but then Erie took over for much of the next two periods to take the 3-1 lead late into the second.
But it was that energy shift by Guy/Walker/McFarlane line that seemed to shift the game late in the second. In the third it was all Guelph, as they outshot Erie 14-3 in the final 20 minutes.
"Hit me in the pants. right place at the right time and I guess it's nice to have those bounce sometimes," Guy said of the winning goal, which came at the 10:58 mark of the third period.
He credited the team with being able to make the necessary adjustments.
"I think it was just not doing what we we're told to do, what we're supposed to do, and not following our system," he said of being outplayed in the first 30 minutes of the game.
"A lot of guys just weren't buying in and not giving everything they had. Everybody had a little bit more to give after that first period," Guy said. "You're not going to play every period really well and to show that we could bounce back after that first period was really important."
Storm coach George Burnett said it was nice to see Guy get rewarded for all his hard work.
"I liked that line tonight. I thought it gave us momentum at the end of the second when we needed a lift and the third period was outstanding," said Burnett.
"The last two minutes was outstanding. We'll watch that tomorrow as a team as a great example of how to play late in the game with a one-goal lead. We never gave them a chance to get out of their own zone."
Guelph played with four rookie defenceman, including call-up Zach Sandhu, as both Ashton Reesor (broken jaw) and Daniil Chayka (lower body) are out indefinitely with injuries.
It's a busy week for the Storm. They host London Wednesday night, Sarnia Friday night and then play in Kitchener Sunday afternoon.
