Hounds rally to sting Sarnia

The Soo Greyhounds are proving that hard work truly does pay off as the team finds itself in a battle to hold onto a playoff spot in the Ontario Hockey League's Western Conference.

On Tuesday night, after falling behind to the Sarnia Sting, the Greyhounds used a strong third period to battle back and defeat the Sting in front of a crowd of over 3,400 at Memorial Gardens.

Thanks to a pair of goals in the third period the Greyhounds scored a 4-3 victory over the Sting in a game that was one of two from earlier in the season that needed to be re-scheduled due to weather conditions at the Mackinac Bridge.

The Hounds got themselves off to a strong start opening up a 2-0 lead before the game was six minutes old as Josh Godfrey and Ryan Kitchen, on the power play, opened up the lead.

Much to the dismay of the Hounds and their fans the Sting got back on even terms, thanks to a former Greyhound. Forward Ryan McInerney, who was dealt to the Sting along with Tyson Aitcheson for Scott Restoule and Trevor Solomon, scored a pair of goals just over six minutes apart to tie the game.

Despite holding a decided edge in shots in the second period, as the Hounds outshot the Sting 17-9 in the frame, the locals found themselves down by a goal after Brandon Mashinter scored his first goal of the season early in the frame.

In the third period, the Greyhounds managed to get a number of quality chances but could not beat Sting goaltender Ryan Nie, who stopped 41 shots in the loss. The Hounds fate changed when Jacob Lalonde pulled the Hounds back on even terms at 11:21.

Just 1:40 later Brandon MacLean potted the game winner as he knocked a loose puck past Nie to give the Greyhounds a lead they would not relinquish as they held on for a 4-3 victory.

The Hounds played the contest without the services of veteran forward Scott Restoule, who was out of the lineup due to a death in his family. The Hounds also lost the services of another veteran forward as Cody Thornton was handed a major penalty and game misconduct for kneeing after a hit he threw on Sarnia's Chad Painchaud, a hit which Hounds coach Craig Hartsburg said was 'all hip.'

Painchaud left the game in obvious pain and did not return. Popular forward Alex Penner also left the game in the second period with a back injury and did not return. Also, Dustin Jeffrey played the game while suffering the effects of the flu.

"In the first period, I thought we had a good start," said Hartsburg. "We got a little off track and we stopped doing the little things right, then we took some penalties. It's not very often you can gather back in and get yourself re-focused and I thought in the second period we were pretty good and in the third period we were really good.

"It was a tough, very hard-fought game," added Hartsburg. "We got a lot out of a lot of kids. (We) had to battle for every inch. We're happy we came back. It was a test for them and they said at the end of the second period that they weren't going to be denied."

Hartsburg also commented on the play of Andrew Desjardins, who did not get on the scoresheet, but had a number of chances.

"He's doing a lot of good things," Hartsburg said of the veteran forward, who has struggled to find his offensive touch this season. "He's killing penalties, he's strong on the puck. If he keeps playing like this and doesn't score a goal the rest of the year, we're still going to be happy with him."

The Hounds now prepare for a three-games-in-four-nights road trip that will take them to the Molson Centre in Barrie on Thursday night before games in Owen Sound on Saturday night and Brampton on Sunday afternoon.

Next home action for the Hounds will be on Feb. 15, when they host the Sudbury Wolves in a 7 p.m. start at Memorial Gardens.

*** AROUND THE OHL:

AT KITCHENER: In the only other OHL game on the schedule on Tuesday night, the Kitchener Rangers scored five unanswered goals to top the Oshawa Generals 5-3. Matt Auffrey scored a pair of goals and added an assist while Craig Voakes added a goal and a pair of assists. Oshawa Generals goaltender Carlo DiRienzo stopped 49 Rangers shots while Peter Tsimikalis and Brett MacLean each had a goal and an assist in the loss.