On a festive afternoon at the Sleeman Centre, a couple of Guelph Storm’s kids delivered some memorable gifts for those in attendance.
Reigning OHL rookie of the week Lev Katzin scored twice in the first, a teddy bear toss tally and a highlight reel goal.
Goaltender Zach Jovanovski – a callup from the Ayr Centennials with Colin Ellsworth under the weather – was dynamite late to help the Guelph Storm seal a 4-3 shootout win over Kingston.
Katzin continues to dazzle with 13 points, posting a point in each of his first six OHL games.
“I pride myself in playing a 200 foot game. I focus on the defensive end as much as the offensive end,” he said.
“I think I’m a skilled player with a good hockey IQ. When I play with good players, that’s where it shines.”
Saturday marked the first game Katzin hasn’t picked up an assist, but those apples will continue to grow as the season progresses if his play keeps up.
And off the puck? That hockey IQ was on display, notably putting pressure on Kingston goalie Mason Vaccari, forcing a turnover and nearly sealing a hat trick.
“In order to produce points at any level, yes it’s when you have the puck, what can you do with it,” coach Cory Stillman said.
“But the next side of it is how do you find space, how do you create space, how do you get involved in the game.”
He complimented Katzin’s ability to read plays, and be unselfish with the puck.
When Katzin isn’t scoring, the little things matter and that’s caught the eye of Stillman.
“Even when he’s not (scoring), he’s got an assist, he’s got a point but he’s going to the net, he’s causing chaos, he’s got a screen so his play without the puck is spectacular,” he said.
“For us here, we just want to continue to grow that.”
Originally a Harvard commit, Katzin said he paid a visit to Penn State and loved it, deciding instead to become a future Nittany Lion.
“Penn State’s more my style of play, and crowds and more like the college life there. Nothing against Harvard, (Penn State’s) just more focused on hockey.”
So when would that move to the NCAA come? For his part, Katzin isn’t sure.
He’s still just 17 years of age, eligible for next summer’s NHL draft. He got a ‘W’ rating during the preliminary rankings from NHL Central Scouting recently, seeing him as a potential sixth or seventh round pick.
“I’m just focused on this year,” Katzin said. “I’m not really sure what’s to come next year. I’m just dialed in on this game, my next shift and just focusing on my next play.”
The rest of his team performed well, in a much more complete game than the loss to Saginaw Friday.
“We played a better 60 minute game tonight. We got a lead early, hung on and we gave up a goal late. I wasn’t happy about that one, but we got some timely saves,” Stillman said.
“I thought in the third period, we played a better structured hockey game.”
While Katzin had his moment in the sun early, Jovanovski’s turn in the spotlight came in extra time.
He made five saves in OT, including a glove stop on former Attack star Cedrick Guindon with 13 seconds left that you’ll be sure to see on highlight reels. He finished the game stopping 32 of 35.
If that wasn’t enough, he made another glove stop on Jacob Battaglia in the shootout that you’d have to see to believe.
“It feels great making those big saves for the team, but (the confidence) comes from our team, going down, making plays, scoring goals,” Jovanovski said following his first OHL win.
The Centennials puck stopper was called up after playing Thursday and Friday in the GOJHL, a big workload for the 17-year-old.
But playing that much hockey doesn’t seem to phase him, if Saturday was any indication.
“He came up big. He made some big saves when we need it,” Stillman said. “Going into the shootout, when he made the first save, the glove save, I was like ‘we have a chance’ and when we scored the second goal, that was perfect and a great win for him, his first career one.”
Leo Serlin scored the other Storm goal in regulation, and had the shootout winner.
Cam Allen had an assist in his return to the Guelph lineup, less than 12 hours after he was cut from the Team Canada World Junior roster.
Guelph has two more games before the Christmas break.
First, a trip to Windsor next Thursday. Then, the Storm wrap it up at home against the visiting Soo Greyhounds Friday at 7:07 p.m.
