It’s a long way from the press box to Sleeman Centre ice. Just ask Cedric Ralph and Liam Stevens.
The two 17-year-old Storm forwards have watched more games than they have taken part in of late, but they were crucial elements to a big victory Tuesday.
Ralph scored his second goal in as many games after missing five games with an ear infection and Stevens, who was a healthy scratch two of the past three games, had a goal and an assist in the Storm’s 5-1 victory over the Niagara IceDogs at the Sleeman Centre.
The win snapped a seven-game losing streak.
“It’s a message that you can either respond positively or negatively to and I think I responded positively,” said Stevens.
“You have to bounce back after that and show them why you should be in the lineup every night,” Stevens said.
He also added a couple of big hits to his night’s work and said goals or hits, they both help the team.
“They’re about the same for me. A big hit is something that gets the boys going and helps generate some offence.”
Ralph said the two goals in two games have definitely been a confidence boost personally and Tuesday’s win was the kind of morale boost the team needed.
“Lots of teams go through rough patches and rough breaks. The good teams always find a way to climb their way back as a team to get back in the win column,” Ralph said.
As for being out of the lineup for a while, he said you have to take it in stride.
“You’ve just got to battle back and just know that when you get your chance to get back in the lineup that all you can do is work as hard as you can and execute the game plan the coaches want you to play.
“Once you get a goal it kind of reminds you of back in minor hockey and that you can score goals,” Ralph said.
Tuesday’s final score was a bit misleading.
The Storm led 2-0 after the first period on goals by Ralph and Albert Michnac, the first on a delayed penalty the latter on the power play.
Niagara’s Ryan Mantha had the lone goal of the second period.
It was a nailbiter most of the third until Guelph scored three times in the final 2:52 of the game to ice the victory.
Isaac Ratcliffe, with his 20th goal, Stevens 13 seconds later and finally Givani Smith, into an empty net, did the honours.
Liam Herbst made 24 saves in the Storm net and Stephen Dhillon made 39 for the IceDogs.
The two teams meet again Thursday in Niagara and then the Storm will play in Kitchener Friday night and in Windsor Sunday afternoon.
Next home game is Jan. 27 when the Oshawa Generals visit.
