Strong start lifts Greyhounds on road

The Soo Greyhounds returned to the win column Friday night.

After a disappointing effort in a loss to the Windsor Spitfires on Thursday night, the Greyhounds picked up a 4-3 Ontario Hockey League victory over the Kitchener Rangers.

The Greyhounds jumped out to a strong start in the game, opening up a 3-1 lead through 40 minutes.

“Towards the end of the second period, we got a little bit sloppy with the puck,” said Greyhounds Coach Drew Bannister. “Five-on-five in the first and second period, especially early on, we didn’t give them much because we had the puck a lot.” 

A goal by Boris Katchouk, his second of the night, with 8:35 to go in regulation was the game-winner as the veteran winger cut to the net and slid a backhand past Rangers goaltender Mario Culina.

Katchouk, a native of nearby Waterloo, Ont., finished the night with a pair of goals.

“He gets up for these games,” Bannister said. “He enjoys playing here. He’s always been good and puts on a show for a lot of people.”

Keeghan Howdeshell had a goal and an assist for the Greyhounds while defenceman Jordan Sambrook and forward Tim Gettinger assisted on a pair of goals each. Overage forward Hayden Verbeek had the other goal for the Greyhounds.

Matthew Villalta made 31 saves for the Greyhounds, who improved to 53-7-2-2.

Trailing 3-1, the Rangers scored a pair of power play goals in the opening 90 seconds of the third period to tie the game. 

“We worked really hard,” Rangers Coach Jay McKee said on the Rogers TV broadcast following the game. “The first eight minutes of the game, we’d like to have back. That’s a hockey club that, coming into this game, was 40-1 after scoring the first goal. We talked about getting the momentum early.”

Adam Mascherin and Joseph Garreffa had a goal and two assists each for the Rangers. Kole Sherwood chipped in with a goal and an assist.

McKee spoke highly of the Greyhounds following the contest. 

“That’s one of the most well-built CHL teams that I’ve seen,” McKee said. “They have speed on every line; from top to bottom, the best D corps I’ve seen. And their goaltender (Villalta), his win-loss record over the last two years is off the charts. It’s a great hockey club. We have a lot of respect for that hockey club and their coaching staff.”

Culina made 39 saves for the Rangers, who fall to 42-20-2-0.

The Greyhounds wrap up the weekend with a Sunday afternoon contest in Owen Sound against the Owen Sound Attack.

In other action around the league on Friday, in Mississauga, Jack Studnicka scored three times as the Oshawa Generals beat the Mississauga Steelheads 6-2. Domenico Commisso chipped in with a goal and two assists for the Generals.

In Kingston, Cliff Pu had two goals and an assist as the Kingston Frontenacs beat the Ottawa 67’s 7-2. Linus Nyman had a goal and two assists while Jason Robertson assisted on three goals for the Frontenacs.

In Sudbury, Justin Brazeau had a goal and an assist as the North Bay Battalion beat the Sudbury Wolves 4-1. 

In Guelph, Evan Cormier made 32 saves as the Saginaw Spirit blanked the Guelph Storm 3-0. 

In London, Richard Whittaker had three goals and an assist as the London Knights beat the Erie Otters 6-3.