Greyhounds win 'ugly hockey game' (8 photos)

It wasn’t pretty but the Soo Greyhounds remain unbeaten in regulation time to start the Ontario Hockey League season.

The Greyhounds picked up a 4-3 win over the visiting Flint Firebirds on Wednesday night at the Essar Centre thanks to a power play goal by Gabe Guertler with 3:18 left in the third period.

“From the start of the game, it was an ugly hockey game,” said Greyhounds Coach Drew Bannister. “At the best of times, we were not sharp. Our passing early on was indicative of our play throughout the game.

Bannister went on to say he felt the Greyhounds best line in the win was the line of 16-year-old wingers Morgan Frost and Liam Hawel and 17-year-old centre Hayden Verbeek.

“They probably created the most scoring chances five-on-five,” Bannister said.

Brandon Halverson got his first start of the season for the Greyhounds, stopping 29 shots.

“In the third period he was very good,” Bannister said. “He made some great saves to keep us in.”

After two tough goals in the second period, Bannister credited the veteran netminder for rebounding with a solid final period.

“Both of the goals we would like to have back and I’m sure he would like back but he came out well,” Bannister said.

Guertler scored a pair of goals for the Greyhounds while Zach Senyshyn had a goal and two assists. Bobby MacIntyre added a goal and an assist.

Connor Sills, Connor Chatham and Mathieu Henderson scored for the Firebirds. Goaltender Zack Bowman stopped 25 shots.

“We did some things well in transition and offensively but the little things that we’ve been talking about got away from us at times,” said Flint Coach John Gruden. “(Things like) playing on the end of our sticks, not winning one-on-one battles, not getting pucks out on the wall and it cost us.

“The positive is that in every game we’ve played this team has never quit,” Gruden also said. “They give it everything they’ve got until the horn goes. That’s always good.”

The Greyhounds played the game without the services of forwards Keigan Goetz and Boris Katchouk due to suspensions.

The Greyhounds improve to 4-0-2-0 with the win while the Firebirds fall to 3-2-0-1.

The Greyhounds return to action on Friday night against the Saginaw Spirit in a 7:07 p.m. start at the Essar Centre.

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GREYHOUNDS PRODUCE TOP NOTCH TALENT

The Hockey News has called the Soo Greyhounds one of the top player-producing teams in North America.

In a special issue released to subscribers this week, the Greyhounds were ranked first among all junior and college hockey teams in terms of producing National Hockey League talent.

The issue takes each organization in the Canadian Hockey League (Ontario Hockley League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Western Hockey League) as well as the 48 active Division 1 teams in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (Western Collegiate Hockey Association, Hockey East, Eastern College Athletic Conference, National Collegiate Hockey Conference and Big Ten) and named an all-star team of three forwards, two defencemen and a goaltender. Those five players were based “strictly on what they achieved – or are achieving – at the NHL level.”

Once those teams were named, the panel determined how the five would fare against other teams if they were to play a 60-minute game without being fatigued.

The decision was unanimous that the Greyhounds five of Wayne Gretzky, Ron Francis and Joe Thornton at forward with Paul Coffey and Adam Foote on defence and John Vanbiesbrouck in goal would come out on top.

The Greyhounds were one of seven Ontario-based teams in the top 10 of the 50-team list.

Also in the top 10 were the Peterborough Petes (OHL) at two, Oshawa Generals (OHL) at three, Sarnia Sting (OHL) at four, Kitchener Rangers (OHL) at five, Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL) at six, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL) at seven, Guelph Storm (OHL) at eight, London Knights (OHL) at nine, and Kamloops Blazers (WHL) at 10.

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OTHER SCORES

In Kingston, Conor McGlynn’s goal at 1:33 of overtime helped the Kingston Frontenacs to a 3-2 victory over the Oshawa Generals. Jason Robertson and Juho Lammikko also scored for Kingston while goaltender Lucas Peressini stopped 31 shots. Matt Mistele and Kenny Huether scored for the Generals. 

(Photo: Soo Greyhounds players celebrate a 1st Period goal by Gabe Guertler (33, centre) during a game against the visiting Flint Firebirds played tonight at the Essar Centre. Kenneth Armstrong/SooToday)