Late-game struggles help sink Greyhounds

The feeling was one of disappointment for the Soo Greyhounds.

After battling back from a 2-0 deficit and taking the lead, the Greyhounds struggled to finish and it led to a loss on Friday night.

A pair of goals 2:24 apart in the third period were the difference for the Kitchener Rangers as the team turned a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 Ontario Hockey League victory over the Greyhounds.

Jonathan Yantsis and Rickard Hugg scored for the Rangers after Jaromir Pytlik scored in the opening minute of the third period to give the Greyhounds the lead

“Obviously I don’t like that period,” said Greyhounds Coach John Dean.

“We were trying to force plays and killing penalties the whole period which means the same players are on the ice the whole time,” Dean also said. “Our best players kill penalties and now they’re tired for five-on-five. It’s a tough way to play.”

Dean added he “didn’t like that we were undisciplined.”

“It’s February and this is going to be a good lesson for us,” Dean said. “There are going to be playoff games where things don’t go our way and we’re having a tough night and we need to respond in a better way.”

Greyhounds goaltender Matthew Villalta finished the night with 32 saves.

“Villalta was fantastic tonight,” Dean said.

For the Rangers, the strong third period was a positive after the team surrendered the lead and bouncing back from the Pytlik goal early in the third was something that pleased the Kitchener coaching staff.

“It wasn’t a good feeling (giving up the Pytlik goal), but there was a lot of time left,” Rangers Coach Jay McKee told 570News following the game. “The second period, we gave up a couple of goals, but we did a lot of good things in the second and our guys came out, held them to two shots in the third and pushed hard. It was great to see that resiliency.”

Keeghan Howdeshell and Ryan Roth also scored for the Greyhounds while Mac Hollowell and Morgan Frost assisted on two goals each.

For Frost, the two-point night gives the veteran forward 100 points. The Philadelphia Flyers prospect also takes over the OHL scoring lead, two points ahead of Ottawa’s Tye Felhaber.

Joseph Garreffa had a goal and an assist for the Rangers in the opening period.

“Joe has been a guy who has been a hard-worker through-and-through,” McKee said. “He loves the game. He’s a treat to be around. He’s a guy we can put in any position and be comfortable with.”

Hugg and Greg Meireles also had a goal and an assist each for Kitchener.

Reid Valade assisted on a pair of Rangers goals.

Kitchener goaltender Luke Richardson stopped 24 shots.

With the Saginaw Spirit off on Friday, the night was a missed opportunity for the Greyhounds, who remain four points up on the Spirit following Friday’s loss. The Greyhounds fall to 38-13-6-1.

Saginaw is set to face the Hamilton Bulldogs on Saturday in Hamilton before wrapping up weekend action in Oshawa on Sunday.

The Greyhounds will also be in action on Sunday, wrapping up a three-game road trip against the Sarnia Sting.

The London Knights would gain two points on the Greyhounds atop the OHL’s Western Conference standings thanks to a win at home against the Hamilton Bulldogs.

With the win, London moves four points ahead of the Greyhounds.

Fighting for positioning in the Western Conference with the Owen Sound Attack as well as the Sting, Kitchener improves to 28-26-3-1.

The win came on the heels of a 10-2 road loss on Thursday night against the Niagara IceDogs.

“I reminded them (before the game) that this is the same team in the dressing room that beat (the Greyhounds), that beat Guelph in Guelph, that played London very well in London and that played Ottawa very good in Ottawa,” McKee said. “You wipe (the Niagara game), you know it happens sometimes and you learn from it.”

Rookie goaltender Ethan Taylor didn’t dress for the Greyhounds on Friday against Kitchener.

The netminder is listed as day-to-day after suffering an upper body injury on Thursday night in the Greyhounds win over Windsor.

Mario Peccia served as Villalta’s backup for Friday’s game.

Barrett Hayton also missed Friday’s game and remains day-to-day.

Dean said his status for Sunday’s game in Sarnia wasn’t certain, but it didn’t look like the Greyhounds captain would dress.

In other action around the OHL on Friday night, in London, Kevin Hancock had a goal and an assist while Liam Foudy assisted on a pair of goals as London beat Hamilton 4-2. Hamilton goaltender Zachary Roy made 36 saves.

In Kingston, Brendan Bonello made 37 saves as the Kingston Frontenacs beat the Ottawa 67’s 3-2. Adrien Beraldo scored a pair of goals for Kingston.

In Sarnia, Hugo Leufvenius had two goals and an assist as the Sarnia Sting beat the North Bay Battalion 6-2. Sean Josling also had a pair of goals for Sarnia.

In Sudbury, Jason Willms scores at 2:09 of overtime to give the Barrie Colts a 1-0 win over the Sudbury Wolves. Jet Greaves made 37 saves for the shutout.

In Guelph, Isaac Ratcliffe scored three times as the Guelph Storm beat the Erie Otters 4-1. Nick Suzuki assisted on a pair of goals for Guelph.

In Oshawa, Serron Noel had a pair of goals as the Oshawa Generals beat the Mississauga Steelheads 5-3. Nicolas Mattinen chipped in with a goal and an assist for Oshawa.