Greyhounds end Sarnia winning streak (Updated)

The Soo Greyhounds opened up a three-game homestand on Wednesday with an important win.

The Greyhounds beat the West Division-leading Sarnia Sting 3-1 at the Essar Centre, ending the Sting’s four-game winning streak in the process.

The win allows the Greyhounds to pull to within a single point of the Plymouth Whalers in the Western Conference standings as the Whalers dropped a 6-5 decision in Saginaw on Wednesday night.

The Greyhounds opened up a 1-0 lead with just 4.7 seconds remaining when Brandon Alderson converted a rebound of a Ryan Sproul shot past Sarnia goaltender Knicholas Dawe. The Stong tied the game at one in the second period but Darnell Nurse scored the eventual game-winner with just over three minutes remaining in the middle frame. Dylan Staples sealed the win with an empty net goal in the final minute of play.

“We had four lines rolling there for a period of time that allowed us to get moving and our defence did a good job of pushing the puck up the ice,” said Greyhounds coach Sheldon Keefe. “Matt Murray was obviously key. He had a difficult game in Belleville on Saturday so we were looking for him to respond tonight and I was very pleased with his performance.”

Murray stopped 26 shots in the win for the Greyhounds (21-18-2-1).

Reid Boucher had the lone goal in the loss for Sarnia. Goaltender Knicholas Dawe stopped 35 shots for Sarnia (24-14-0-3).

“We put a little bit of heat on them but we just didn’t create much offence,” said Sting coach Jacques Beaulieu. “We may have had about 10 or 12 chances and that’s not enough in junior hockey. You have to get closer to 20 and we just didn’t do it tonight.”

For the Greyhounds, Keefe spoke highly of the trio of rookies Trent Mallette and Ryan Kirkup along with veteran Mitchell Dempsey in the win.

“For the most part when they were on the ice they were in the offensive zone which is what we ask them to do,” said Keefe. “To me, that’s an important part of a hockey club is to have a line like that. One that goes out and gives you minutes and that was a very positive part of the game.”

The three-game homestand for the Greyhounds continues on Saturday night when they host the Mississauga Steelheads. Puck drop is 7:07 p.m.

Photo courtesy Jim Egan

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OTHER SCORES

In Saginaw, Justin Kea had two goals and an assist as the Saginaw Spirit beat the Plymouth Whalers 6-5. Nick Moutry added a goal and two assists in the win. Gregg Sutch (two goals), Eric Locke (one goal, one assist) and Jeremiah Addison (two assists) also had multi-point nights for Saginaw. Mathew Mistele had two goals and two assists for the Whalers in the loss.

In Erie, Connor Brown scored three times as the Erie Otters beat the Owen Sound Attack 4-3. Devin Williams stopped all 24 shots he faced after relieving Oscar Dansk for the final two periods for the Otters. Attack goaltender Brandon Hope stopped 33 shots.

In Ottawa, Daniel Altshuller stopped all 22 shots he faced as the Oshawa Generals beat the Ottawa 67’s 2-0. Boone Jenner scored both goals for the Generals. 67’s goaltender Jacob Blair stopped 32 shots.