Greyhounds playoff hopes take a hit in home loss to Sting

There were a lot of things they liked through the opening 40 minutes, but the final result, with opportunities for points dwindling, is tough to take.

The fact that it was a game in which their opponent came from behind to grab two points makes it even tougher.

After taking a 3-1 lead through 40 minutes, the Soo Greyhounds dropped a 4-3 decision in a shootout against the Sarnia Sting in Ontario Hockey League play on Wednesday night at the GFL Memorial Gardens.

The loss was tough to swallow for a Greyhounds team that fell further behind in the race for the final playoff spot in the OHL’s Western Conference.

“It’s so obvious what our formula is and how we have to play to win hockey games,” Dean said. “We continuously get away from it. To get away from it tonight in a key period is obviously disappointing.”

Overage forward Kalvyn Watson called losing the lead, and ultimately the game, “frustrating.”

“We did play a good game,” Watson said.

“We had a couple lapses there where pucks didn’t get deep or the right play wasn’t made,” Watson added. “We were in the penalty box a lot tonight too. A blown lead is frustrating for sure.”

Dean said the opening two periods were a positive for the Greyhounds in the loss.

“The first 40 minutes, we were really good,” Dean said. “We were really dialed in to structure, a lot of odd-man rush chances for. I wish we would have capitalized on a few more of our opportunities and been more of a shooting team than a passing team, but I’m really happy with our first 40.”

For the Sting, the finish was a positive after a less-than-pleasing opening two periods.

“We’re definitely happy with our third period,” Sting coach Alan Letang said. “The first two, we were lazy.”

“That’s kind of the tendency,” Letang added. “We want to see how much effort we have to put in to win. Can we win with minimal effort? That’s what we’ve been working with the last month.”

Letang said the Greyhounds effort wasn’t a surprise.

“We knew they would come out desperate,” Letang said. “Their games, their season, and their points are winding down.”

Letang said a goal by Sting captain Nolan Dillingham early in the third period was helpful in getting things back on track for the visitors.

“It’s huge when you come out after you have two periods of that, and you could sense the frustration building.” Letang said. “The message on the bench was our go-to guys, it was time for them to step up.”

Dean said the goal was a tough one but didn’t call it a difference-maker in how the third period played out for the Greyhounds.

“You don’t feel good about it, but the way we were battling and competing, it shouldn’t have mattered,” Dean said. “It had a small impact on our bench, but I don’t think it was a back-breaker.”

In addition to a shorthanded goal, the Greyhounds penalty kill held the Sarnia power play scoreless in six man advantage opportunities.

“We got a lot of energy off of it,” Dean said.

Sarnia opened the scoring as Marcus Limpar-Lantz scored on his own rebound after Greyhounds goaltender Charlie Schenkel stopped a shot by the Sting forward at 7:59.

The Greyhounds came back 42 seconds later and tied the game as Watson beat Sting goaltender Nicholas Surzycia stick side after Bryce McConnell-Barker won the faceoff back to the overage forward.

The Greyhounds took a 2-1 lead as Jordan D’Intino beat Surzycia from the left circle high short side after taking a pass from Mark Duarte on a 2-on-1 just 1:52 into the period and moments after a Sarnia chance at the other end.

With the Greyhounds down two men, Mark Duarte made it a 3-1 game when he blocked a shot defensively, won a footrace against Sarnia's Sasha Pastujov and was taken out by the Sting forward. Duarte, with the puck, ran into Surzycia and the pair slide into the goal. Initially called a penalty shot, a review changed the call to a goal, extending the Sault lead.

Sarnia cut into the Greyhounds lead 3:25 into the third period when Sting captain Nolan Dillingham took a pass from Tyson Doucette and beat Schenkel from a sharp angle to the left of the Sault goal short side.

The Sting tied the game thanks to a goal by Sandis Vilmanis finishing off a three-way passing play from the slot. Vilmanis took a pass from Marko Sikic after the latter took a pass from Nolan Burke below the goalline.

After a scoreless overtime frame, Luca DelBelBelluz and Christian Kyrou sealed the win for the Sting.

After McConnell-Barker missed for the Greyhounds, DelBelBelluz beat Schenkel with a backhand 5-bole to open things up for the Sting.

D'Intino was stopped by Surzycia on the Greyhounds section shot and Kyrou capped off the comeback by beating Schenkel with a backhand high glove side.

Duarte finished the game with a goal and an assist for the Greyhounds while Schenkel stopped 28 shots.

In addition to stopping both Greyhounds shooters in the shootout, Surzycia stopped 17 shots for Sarnia.

The Greyhounds return to action on Friday night at home when they host the Guelph Storm in a 7:07 p.m. start at the GFL Memorial Gardens.

The team enters the game with a 17-26-9-6 record on the season and fall seven points behind the Kitchener Rangers for the final playoff spot in the OHL’s Western Conference after Kitchener picked up a 6-4 win over the Oshawa Generals on Wednesday night.

Sarnia improves to 32-17-5-3 with the win, which also helped the team clinch a playoff spot. The team sits third in the Western Conference.