Storm hold off late Greyhounds rally (7 photos)

SAULT STE. MARIE, ONT. - A second period in which they gave up five goals turned into the difference for the Soo Greyhounds on Saturday night.

The Guelph Storm used a five-goal outburst, which included four goals in a span of 6:30, to pick up a 6-5 victory Ontario Hockey League victory over the Greyhounds at the GFL Memorial Gardens.

After falling behind 6-2 through 40 minutes, the Greyhounds managed to make things close with three goals in just under four minutes in the third.

“We knew they were going to play us really tight tonight and they did,” Greyhounds coach John Dean said. “We didn’t give up much and they didn’t give up much and I’m okay with that. That’s a game we need to learn how to win.

“In the second period, we tried to get a little too cute, had two turnovers, a couple of tough goals, a couple of tough bounces and we let them slow us down,” Dean added.

Dean also noted that he was proud of the response late in the game.

“It’s a great response,” Dean said. “I challenged them between periods. I brought the leadership group in and challenged them and it was an incredible response. The young guys stepped up early on before I shortened the bench as well. There’s something special in that room. They just need to realize that we need to dictate the terms of the game, not the other team. Once we do that, we’re a pretty special group. In the second period, we got sucked into their terms and in the third, we started dictating the pace of play.”

Storm general manager and coach George Burnett called the Greyhounds the “best team we’ve played by a mile. If you’re not sharp and ready, they’re going to make you pay like (Friday) night.”

“I don’t think there’s going to be a lot of teams come into this rink and win this year,” Burnett said. “Every point or two that you’re able to take out of here is going to be kind of like bonus points.”

Burnett called Saturday’s game a good response to Friday’s result against the Greyhounds.

“We got a few bounces in the second period and it certainly wasn’t a 6-2 game after two periods,” Burnett said.

“There’s some great lessons to be learned on how we managed the puck in the last five minutes and how we defended their great rush game and their speed,” Burnett added.

Guelph opened the scoring as Sasha Pastujov got the puck in the right faceoff circle and beat Greyhounds starter Samuel Ivanov high glove side with just under five minutes to go in the opening period.

The Greyhounds tied the game 2:16 later as Bryce McConnell-Barker beat Guelph netminder Jacob Oster short side from the right circle.

Guelph took the lead early in the second as Jake Karabela took a pass from Pastujov moments after a Greyhounds turnover and beat Ivanov to make it 2-1.

Valentin Zhugin extended the Guelph lead 2:53 later when he found himself alone in the slot where he beat Ivanov to make it 3-1.

After Cole MacKay cut the lead to 3-2 for the Greyhounds, Daniil Chayka restored the two-goal lead as he beat Ivanov from the top of the left circle through traffic.

Matthew Papais made it 5-2 Guelph 48 seconds later, beating Ivanov high stick side from the right faceoff circle.

Danny Zhilkin chased Ivanov from the game when he took a feed from Pastujov off a Sault turnover and beat Ivanov at 13:39 of the second period, ending the night for the Sault netminder.

“This guy has been a warrior for us,” Dean said of Ivanov when asked about the goaltending change. “I don’t think we’re playing great in front of him. What this guy has done for us (to this point), I don’t want him sitting there and taking that. It was an easy decision for some energy for the group.”

Ivanov made 11 saves in the game.

The Greyhounds came to life in the third, cutting the Storm lead to 6-5 with a late flurry of goals.

Goals by McConnell-Barker and Tye Kartye 25 seconds apart made it 6-4 Storm.

With 2:23 to go in regulation time, Ryan O’Rourke made it a one-goal game when he beat Oster from the high slot.

After entering the game in place of Ivanov, Charlie Schenkel stopped all 10 shots he faced the rest of the way, including some key stops in the third period.

“I’m happy for Charlie,” Dean said. “He made one big save and we went back the other way (to score). I’m really excited for him to rally the guys. The group got excited on the bench when he went in and when he made a couple of those big saves. It was really important for our bench to rally around him.”

Oster made 30 saves for the Storm.

“He gave us some saves when they had traffic and they had us running,” Burnett said of the young netminder. “He showed a lot of poise for a 17-year-old kid playing his sixth game in the league. We’re proud of his effort and he’s a big part of our ability to respond tonight.”

Offensively for the Storm, Pastujov had three assists in the game in addition to his goal.

Michael Buchinger and Jacob Maillet assisted on a pair of goals for Guelph.