Outworked. Outplayed. Outscored.
There was no sugar coating the Guelph Storm's stinker of a game Saturday afternoon as they were manhandled 6-1 by the red-hot Kitchener Rangers, winners of nine straight.
How bad was it?
Star players Cam Hillis and Pavel Gogolev were benched in the third period.
Benched or being rested for what should be a tough game in Oshawa Sunday night?
"Hey, they've been terrific for us. We've got a big one tomorrow and they were getting a healthy rest in the third period," said Storm coach George Burnett.
Were the players told they were being rested?
"No. Coach's decision," said Hillis.
Burnett was asked if his team was a little tired given the number of games lately, particularly playing them without four top players in the lineup.
"We're not going to make excuses," he said. "They were better. They were quick and they were on the puck a lot better."
Hillis agreed that the team is a little tired, mentally and/or physically.
"There was probably a bit of fatigue for some guys out there, but (Kitchener) has been hot lately and they played well. We just didn't have it tonight.
"We've been playing a lot of hockey games lately ... but it's not an excuse. We're hockey players."
The Storm trailed 1-0 after one period, but it was more luck and some solid goaltending by Owen Bennett that kept it that close, as the Rangers had all kinds of quality chances.
Those chances continued in the second when they outscored the Storm 3-1, with one of the goals coming shorthanded.
The lone bright spot for the sold-out crowd at the Sleeman Centre was Pavel Gogolev's goal at 9:09 of the second that allowed the crowd to throw their teddy bears on the ice.
The Rangers added a couple more in the third with Bennett taking a breather on the bench in favour of backup Tanner Wickware.
The Storm's struggles continued on the power play, going scoreless in five attempts, giving up a shorthanded goal and allowing several two-on-ones to the Rangers.
"If we could decline it now I think we would," Burnett quipped. "I don't know if our big boys were on their game tonight."
Bennett starts in Oshawa Sunday night as the Storm wraps up the pre-Christmas portion of the schedule with a game against the Generals.
They return for a game Dec. 28 in Peterborough then host the Hamilton Bulldogs on Dec. 29.
