Dominant start lifts Greyhounds to win

They came out of the gate strong and the lead they built was the difference as a result.

As the last weekend of regular season play in the Ontario Hockey League kicked off on Friday night, the Soo Greyhounds built up a 3-0 lead through 20 minutes in what was eventually a 4-2 victory at the GFL Memorial Gardens over the Flint Firebirds.

Greyhounds coach John Dean used the word “dominance” in describing the opening period for the home team.

“We really moved the puck nicely in the neutral zone,” Dean said. “Our D did a fantastic job of finding sticks, playing fast. When we did have to slow it down, we did it with a lot of structure.”

Dean added that the game was “super emotional” at the beginning following a presentation recognizing four 19-year-old players on the Greyhounds roster – Bryce McConnell-Barker, Kiril Kudryavtsev, Arttu Karki, and Gavin Hayes.

“To listen to the bench thrive off that was so awesome,” Dean said.

Firebirds coach Paul Flache credited the Greyhounds for their start in the game.

“They came out really well and took it to us pretty good,” Flache said. “It had a little bit of a feeling of the first game of the year. Between the first and second, we had to remind them that we still have playoffs in a couple of games.”

In the second period, with a 3-0 lead, Dean said he felt his team had some bumps, but did some good things as well.

“We started over-passing a bit in the second,” Dean said. “Not as much chance generation as we’d like. Flint obviously came out a little harder, a little more motivated after a tough first period. At the same time, to limit them to just seven shots over forty, I still liked our second with the exception of a couple missed assignments on the goal against.”

Flache said he felt his team was more competitive after the opening period.

“We managed the puck a little bit better,” Flache said.

“We cleaned up a couple things,” Flache added. “We had a couple of power plays that we’d like to see maybe get a goal there. It was definitely better than the first period and I liked our push a lot in the third.”

The Greyhounds got on the board first in the opening minute of the game as Jack Beck took a breakaway pass from Arttu Karki and beat Flint goaltender Jacob Brown 5-hole 40 seconds into the game.

The home team took a 2-0 lead when Justin Cloutier jumped on a loose puck after Jordan D’Intino lost the handle on it in the slot. Cloutier proceeded to beat Brown glove side at 12:34.

Just over four minutes later, Tate Vader made it 3-0 as he scored on a rebound in close after Brown stopped him initially coming out from below the goalline.

Flint made it a 3-1 game with 1:13 to go in the second period as Simon Slavicek hit Tristan Bertucci with a back-door pass. Bertucci beat Greyhounds starter Charlie Schenkel to cut into the Sault lead.

With 2:08 to go in regulation time and Brown on the bench for an extra attacker, Oliver Peer beat Schenkel on a back-door pass from Nolan Dann to make it a 3-2 game late in the third.

The Greyhounds capped off the scoring as Jordan D’Intino scored into an empty net with 8.2 seconds to go.

D'Intino had a goal and an assist for the Greyhounds while Karki assisted on a pair of goals.

Schenkel made 15 saves in the win.

Peer had a goal and an assist for the Firebirds.

Brown stopped 19 shots for Flint.

The Greyhounds will wrap up regular season play on Sunday afternoon with a game at home against the Saginaw Spirit.

With the win, the Greyhounds improve to 45-17-3-2.

With Saginaw beating the Sarnia Sting on Friday night, the Spirit officially clinched the West Division title. The result also means the Greyhounds will finish second in the division and third in the Western Conference.

With the Spirit potentially entering Sunday’s game in the Sault with first place in the conference on the line, Dean said he still plans to rest players for the game.

Dean said Saginaw potentially playing for first in the conference wouldn’t change his decision on resting players, which could be up to three regulars in Sunday’s game.

“We owe nobody anything,” Dean said.

The Firebirds fall to 30-32-4-1 with the loss and remain one point back of the Owen Sound Attack for seventh in the Western Conference.

Both the Firebirds and Attack have one regular season game remaining.

With the playoffs looming, the Greyhounds opponent for round one remains up in the air as the Erie Otters and Guelph Storm sit in a tie for fifth in the conference. The Greyhounds will play the lower-seeded team of the two at the conclusion of the regular season.

Guelph has two games remaining – road games against Owen Sound and London – while Erie has one game remaining – at home against Kitchener.

Erie currently holds the tiebreaker over the Storm should the two teams finish the regular season tied in the standings.