Greyhounds playoff hopes fade after loss (Video Highlights)

If the Soo Greyhounds are a part of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs, Wednesday night’s results certainly didn’t help.

Combine a 5-3 Greyhounds loss to the Plymouth Whalers and a Guelph Storm victory over the Erie Otters and the Greyhounds will not only need to win both games this weekend at home, against the Windsor Spitfires and Guelph Storm, but they will also need some help around the league to make it happen.

With the Greyhounds loss on Wednesday night the Spitfires need a single point in their final three games to clinch a playoff spot while the Storm will need two points to clinch.

The Spitfires have three games remaining – at home on Thursday against the London Knights before road games on Friday in Saginaw and Saturday in Sault Ste. Marie – while the Storm have a pair – a home and home series on Friday and Saturday against the Owen Sound Attack.

The Greyhounds trailed 2-0 through one period but carried the play to the Whalers early in the second period but the visitors broke the game open with three goals in a six minute span to take a 5-0 lead.

Despite the outcome, Greyhounds coach Mike Stapleton was pleased with his team considering the effects a flu bug has had on the roster in recent weeks.

“They played well,” said Stapleton. “I’m not using it as an excuse but for a team that had six guys miss practice on Monday and a guy throwing up at practice Tuesday, we’ve had 12 or 14 guys affected by the flu in the last two weeks.”

Greyhounds goaltender Jack Campbell struggled at times in the loss making 16 saves before being pulled after the fifth Plymouth goal. Matt Murray came in and stopped all eight shots he faced the rest of the way.

“Credit to Jack because he was the guy throwing up at practice yesterday and he battled through it today,” said Stapleton.

After being outshot 11-4 in the opening period, the Greyhounds outshot the Whalers 26-18 the rest of the way, including 9-4 in the third period.

“We couldn’t get a bounce,” said Stapleton. “(Scott) Wedgewood made some big saves. He made a glove save on Cousins in the second period. That was a big time save.”

Wedgewood finished the night with 27 saves for the Whalers.

“He made some big key saves for us,” said Whalers coach Mike Vellucci. “He let a soft one in there in the third but I think he was screened on it and it was a nice shot. He made the saves when he needed to. We didn’t want to get into a run-and-gun with them. They were trying to get into a run-and-gun style and we wanted to play a little more defensively and for about 30 minutes we did.”

Mark Petaccio led the way offensively for the Greyhounds with a pair of goals, marking the third time this season Petaccio has scored twice in a game. Ryan Sproul had the other goal for the Greyhounds in the loss.

Alex Aleardi scored three for the Whalers in the win while Rickard Rakell set up a pair. Mitchell Heard and Jamie Devane had the other goals for the Whalers.

“We played pretty good early on and then let off the gas a little and started taking some bad penalties,” said Vellucci. “We work on (our penalty kill) all year and did a good job. We blocked a lot of shots.”

The Greyhounds finished the night 0-for-9 on the power play.

Full video highlights (courtesy Soo Greyhounds.com)

Next up for the Greyhounds is a home date Saturday night with the Windsor Spitfires in a 7:30 puck drop. That night, the team will also retire the jersey of former defenceman Adam Foote in a pre-game ceremony.

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OTHER SCORES

In Guelph, Zack Mitchell scored a goal and set up two others as the Guelph Storm came from behind to beat the Erie Otters 5-3. Tanner Richard and Francis Menard had a pair of goals each in the win. Jake Evans, Johnny McGuire and Dane Fox scored for Erie. Goaltender Keinan Brown stopped 36 shots in the loss.

In Sarnia, Josh Shalla scored three goals to lead the Saginaw Spirit to a 7-1 win over the Sarnia Sting. Brandon Saad and Vincent Trocheck added a goal and two assists each in the win. Terry Trafford and Vadim Khloptov also scored. Brett Thompson had the lone goal for the Sting.

In Belleville, Jake Worrad scored at 3:48 of overtime to give the Belleville Bulls a 3-2 win over the Oshawa Generals. Malcolm Subban made 38 saves for the Bulls. Brendan Gaunce and Brady Austin also scored for the Bulls. Christian Thomas and Geoffrey Schemitsch scored for the Generals.