Max Namestnikov finally got rewarded for all his effort Sunday afternoon, scoring four goals against the London Knights, but his big night wasn't quite enough, as the Guelph Storm fell 8-7 at the Sleeman Centre.
The overage Storm winger had just two goals in 15 games heading into Sunday's action.
Not that he wasn't playing well of late, doing many of the little things expected of a veteran player, like the two slap shots he blocked on a penalty kill in the first period against the Knights. But goalscorers have to score.
"Every game I've had chances. It's nice for them to actually go in now," Namestnikov said post-game. "Hopefully I can build off of it.
"Eventually I knew they were going to come and tonight was the night. Hopefully I can just keep going."
Namestnikov was the recipient of some nice set-ups by linemates Vilmer Alriksson and Jett Luchanko, who also had big games. Luchanko had four assists and Alriksson a goal and four assists.
"The line I was on had a lot of chances and it was a lot of fun to play," Namestnikov said. "It sucks to lose, but our line competed and we had a lot of chances.
"It's nice having Jett back and Vilmer was good tonight. It sucks losing, but we need to bring that every night."
Storm coach Cory Stillman said it was nice to see Namestnikov finally rewarded.
"It was great. He's had some Grade A quality chances the last three or four games and not getting rewarded. For us to be successful he needs to score. Maybe not four every night, but on a consistent basis."
It was a shootout from the get-go at the Sleeman Sunday.
The first four shots on goal – two at each end of the ice – found the back of the net and it was a see-saw affair the rest of the way. Guelph held the lead twice early on then battled back from a goal down to tie the game on three separate occasions after London took its first lead eight minutes into the second period.
The Knights' Noah Read scored what proved to be the winning goal at 13:39 of the third period, making it 7-6 at the time.
London potted an empty netter to make it 8-6 then Parker Snelgrove scored with 3.2 seconds left in regulation to round out the scoring.
Brayden Gillespie allowed seven goals on 31 shots in the Guelph net. Austin Elliot allowed seven on 26 shots for London.
Evan Van Gorp led the Knights offensively with a goal and four assists.
"Not at all," said Storm coach Cory Stillman in response to the question about him not likely being a fan of 8-7 games.
"We scored two early goals then they came right back. they're a team that can score goals, knows how to score goals, and we got into a bit of a track meet and that's not the way we can play hockey against them," Stillman said.
Guelph hosts the Niagara IceDogs on Friday and the same Knights visit Guelph again on Saturday in a 4 p.m. start.
Namestnikov has FOUR!!!!!!🤯4⃣@Storm_City veteran Max Namestnikov has scored FOUR goals so far tonight against the Knights!💪💪#OHL | @CHLHockey pic.twitter.com/69E9jduPAu
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) November 10, 2024
