Thomas in trouble while Spirit double up Hounds

Marek Kvapil proved to be a Greyhound killer on Saturday night.

Each time the Soo Greyhounds threatened to grab control of the game, Kvapil answered with a goal as the Saginaw Spirit defeated the Hounds 4-2.

The loss drops the record to 20-26-6-1 but the team remains two back of the Plymouth Whalers for first place in the west division.

Plymouth regained the division lead, after the Greyhounds pulled into a tie with a win over the Windsor Spitfires on Thursday, with a 5-0 over the Spirit on Friday night.

The third place Spitfires have jumped back into the race and are just two points back of the Hounds following a 3-1 win over the Whalers on Saturday.

The Hounds conclude their three-game road trip on Sunday against the Sarnia Sting at 6 p.m. Also on Sunday, Plymouth visits Saginaw.

After Tyler Kennedy scored his 12th goal of the season late in the first period, Kvapil scored his first of three goals just 57 seconds later. Kvapil then added another goal 1:31 later to give the Spirit a 2-1 lead after one frame.

Following a scoreless second period, Jeff Carter's 21st goal of the season 21 seconds into the third period brought the Hounds back into the game.

But Kvapil struck again 1:08 later with his third goal of the night and 20th of the season to put Saginaw ahead to stay. Tom Mannino scored an insurance marker midway through the period.

Jesse Gimblett recorded a pair of assist for the Spirit.

Former Hound Jeff Weber picked up the win in goal for the Spirit by stopping 35 of 37 Greyhound shots. Kyle Gajewski kicked aside 21 of 25 shots for the Hounds.

The loss also comes following the news that overage forward Reg Thomas has been suspended by the Ontario Hockey League for 15 games following an incident against the Sting last Sunday at Memorial Gardens.

Thomas was found guilty of high sticking Sting defenseman Matt Pelech. Pelech suffered a jaw injury during a collision with Thomas, who was not penalized on the play.

As a result of the fighting incidents with Thomas that followed, Sting forward Jordan Grant was handed an eight game suspension and Michael Haley was slapped with a five game sentence for what the league describes as "bullying tactics".

The Sting were also fined $1,500.

Thomas had also been involved in a fight with Pelech during the second period of the game.

Grant was given a match penalty during his scuffle with Thomas for kicking while Haley jumped Thomas, his third fight of the contest, with six seconds remaining in the game and received an instigator penalty and a 10 minute misconduct.

"The League is of the opinion that player Reg Thomas used his stick in a reckless fashion striking the Sarnia player in the head with his stick causing injury to the Sting player," said Ontario Hockey League Commissioner David Branch in a release.

"The Ontario Hockey League has made it clear that blows to the head are extremely dangerous and we must all work to remove these type of actions from our game.

"As well, in reviewing the game of January 23rd, the League is extremely disappointed at the conduct of certain Sarnia Sting players and the overall demeanor of the team during portions of the game in Sault Ste. Marie," Branch continued.

Thomas, who had already been suspended twice this season, will be eligible to return to the Hounds line-up on Wednesday, March 6th against the Spirit with five regular season games remaining on the schedule.

In September, Thomas was suspended four games for slashing during a preseason game while the rugged forward also suffered a two-game ban for being an instigator in a fight with less than five minutes remaining in regulation time in November.

Next home action for the Greyhounds is Friday when the Belleville Bulls visit the Gardens for a 7:30 p.m. start.