VIDEO: Greyhounds ride late-period stretch to win

A short stretch in the second period turned into the difference.

The Soo Greyhounds scored three times in three minutes to end the second period as they beat the Mississauga Steelheads 6-4 in Ontario Hockey League action at the GFL Memorial Gardens on Saturday night.

Trailing 3-2, Ryan Roth pulled the Greyhounds even at 16:52 and Jaden Peca scored his first goal as a member of the Greyhounds to give the locals the lead 45 seconds later. 

Sault product Cole MacKay added to the lead with 10.1 seconds to go in the period. 

“We’re a pretty dangerous team when we want to be,” said Greyhounds Coach John Dean. “I don’t think we were playing a great game at the time and we decided to pour it on there. That’s what we’re capable of doing.

“We’re blessed with so much skill, we can take 12 or 13 minutes off and then put three in the back of the net,” Dean added, “but it’s not the way you draw it up.”

For the Steelheads, the short stretch at the end of the second period was tough for a team that kept the game close throughout.

“Three minutes at the end of the second period cost us,” said Mississauga Coach James Richmond. “Guys were watching Frost and Barrett Hayton do what they do.”

“It’s tough not to watch them. Even I was watching them,” Richmond joked. 

“Both are terrific players and when they smell blood, you can see it in them,” Richmond said. 

Hayton finished the night with a pair of goals.

Peca had a goal and an assist while Ryan O’Rourke also scored. Zack Trott and Tye Kartye assisted on two goals each for the Greyhounds.

Alan Lyszczarczyk, William Portokalis, Cole Carter, and James Hardie scored for the Steelheads.

Goaltender Jacob Ingham made 27 saves for Mississauga. 

“He gave us a chance to win and that’s what he does on most nights,” Richmond said. 

After dealing away veterans Ryan McLeod and Owen Tippett prior to the OHL trade deadline, the Steelheads got younger and Saturday was an experience for the new group.

“We’ve got a young group and it was a good learning experience for them,” Richmond said. “

The Greyhounds remain three points ahead of the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL’s West Division standings thanks to a 27-10-4-1 record. 

The team now prepares for a three-game road trip that begins on Thursday night in North Bay against the Battalion.

Mississauga falls to 18-19-4-1.

In other action around the OHL on Saturday night, in London, Connor McMichael had a pair of goals as the London Knights beat the Ottawa 67’s 5-3. Evan Bouchard assisted on three goals for the Knights. 

In Erie, Daniel D’Amato’s goal at 12:39 of the third period was the game-winner as the Erie Otters beat the Owen Sound Attack 3-2. 

In Flint, Ty Dellandrea had a goal and four assists as the Flint Firebirds beat the Sarnia Sting 6-2. Jake Durham had three goals and an assist for Flint. Eric Uba assisted on three goals for the Firebirds. Emanuel Vella stopped 44 shots for Flint.

In Hamilton, Zachary Roy stopped all 25 shots he faced as the Hamilton Bulldogs blanked the Kingston Frontenacs 4-0. Liam Van Loon had a goal and an assist for Hamilton.

In Peterborough, Kyle Jackson scored a pair of goals as the North Bay Battalion beat the Peterborough Petes 7-2. Nick King and Justin Brazeau had a goal and two assists each for North Bay. 

In Saginaw, Cole Coskey had two goals and an assist as the Saginaw Spirit beat the Windsor Spitfires 6-3. Bode Wilde assisted on three goals for Saginaw. Tyler Angle had two goals and an assist for Windsor. 

In Barrie, Kyle Keyser made 30 saves as the Oshawa Generals beat the Barrie Colts 3-1. Brett Neumann had a pair of goals for Oshawa. Jet Greaves made 34 saves for Barrie.