Greyhounds drop shootout in Guelph (video)

Points have taken on an added importance of late for the Soo Greyhounds of late.

With an opportunity to keep pace in the playoff race in the Ontario Hockey League’s Western Conference, dropping a 3-2 shootout decision to the Guelph Storm on Monday was tough.

With 1:25 to go in regulation time, Tye Kartye redirected a feed from Robert Calisti past Guelph Storm goaltender Nico Daws to tie the game at two and allow the Greyhounds to pick up a point in the contest.

Overage forward Jaden Peca spoke of being disappointed following the game.

“We played a pretty decent hockey game in the first period, but we died off a little bit in the second,” Peca said. “We threw the kitchen sink at them in the third period to give ourselves a chance.”

After a scoreless overtime frame, the teams went through seven shootout rounds before Danny Zhilkin beat Bailey Brkin in the eighth round to give the Storm the victory.

“We can’t sit here every single game and cry in our soup because we didn’t get the two points,” said Greyhounds coach John Dean. “The guys battled. We found an opportunity to squeak out a point.”

“It’s a credit to our guys for scrapping back and giving ourselves an opportunity to get two points,” Dean added.

Dean also spoke of the Greyhounds struggling to generate chances at times offensively.

“Recently, we have a tendency to carry the play but we’re not generating enough,” Dean said.

“But that’s a well-structured team over there who is having a great season,” Dean added.

Following Saturday’s loss in Hamilton, Dean spoke of feeling the team was flat in the loss and fatigued late in the contest and said it was better in Monday’s game, but it was still an issue.

“We were better but we were a little bit flat in the third period, but I do think we were better,” Dean said, adding that the structured game of the Storm can play a role in making their opponent look flat.

Brkin made 29 saves for the Greyhounds and stopped six of eight Guelph shooters in the shootout.

“Bailey was fantastic (in the shootout),” Dean said.

At the other end, Daws made 31 saves for the Storm and stopped seven shootout attempts.

Joe Carroll had the other Sault goal in regulation time while Calisti assisted on both Greyhounds goals.

Eric Uba and Clark Hiebert scored in regulation time for the Storm.

In an interview with GuelphToday, Storm coach George Burnett spoke of the team finding ways to win of late.

“I don’t think we’re playing great hockey on this little stretch, but we’re finding ways and I guess that’s good,” Burnett said.

“We’re getting some wins that we weren’t for a three-week period,” Burnett also said.

For the Greyhounds, the extra point took on added importance on Monday after the Erie Otters beat the Mississauga Steelheads 4-0.

Monday’s result in Guelph left the Greyhounds record at 25-28-2-1 and four points behind Erie for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.

The Greyhounds also remain six points behind seventh-place Owen Sound in the standings after the Attack dropped an overtime decision in Oshawa against the Generals.

With 12 games to go in the regular season, the Greyhounds return home for a two-game homestand that begins on Friday night against the Ottawa 67’s. Puck drop at the GFL Memorial Gardens is set for 7:07 p.m. The team then wraps up weekend action with a Sunday afternoon game against the Sarnia Sting.

Peca said after the game the Greyhounds need to approach the final stretch of the regular season like they “have nothing to lose.”

Guelph improves to 28-19-2-5 and moves four points ahead of Owen Sound in the standings thanks to Monday’s win.

In other action around the OHL on Monday afternoon, in Hamilton, the Kitchener Rangers scored five unanswered goals, including four in the third period, to beat the Hamilton Bulldogs 7-6. Liam Hawel had two goals and an assist while Riley Damiani had the game winner for the Rangers. Arthur Kaliyev had two goals and an assist for Hamilton.

In Kingston, Evan Vierling scored three times as the Barrie Colts beat the Kingston Frontenacs 5-2. Tyson Foerster assisted on three goals for the Colts.

In Mississauga, Aidan Campbell stopped all 29 shots he faced as the Erie Otters blanked the Mississauga Steelheads 4-0. Chad Yetman and Kyen Sopa had a goal and an assist each for Erie.

In Ottawa, Brett Brochu made 43 saves as the London Knights beat the Ottawa 67’s 4-2. Connor McMichael, Liam Foudy, and Jonathan Gruden had a goal and an assist each for London.

In Oshawa, Brett Neumann scored on the power play at 1:24 of overtime as the Oshawa Generals beat the Owen Sound Attack 4-3. Ty Tullio assisted on three goals for the Generals.

In Peterborough, Nick Robertson had two goals and two assists as the Peterborough Petes beat the Sudbury Wolves 5-2. Zach Gallant chipped in with two goals and an assist for Peterborough.

In Sarnia, Tyler Tucker had two goals and five assists as the Flint Firebirds beat the Sarnia Sting 12-7. Jack Wismer added a goal and three assists while Evgeniy Oksentyuk also had a pair of goals for Flint. Sam Bitten assisted on three goals for the Sting, who got goals from seven different players in the contest.

-with files from GuelphToday's Tony Saxon