VIDEO: Puck management key for Greyhounds

The Soo Greyhounds success will be based on puck management and on Friday night it was something that was the difference against one of the top teams in their conference.

Citing puck management as a difference, the Greyhounds skated to a 4-1 Ontario Hockey League victory over the Kitchener Rangers on Friday night at the GFL Memorial Gardens. 

The team scored a pair of goals in the first period and bounced back after the Rangers took the play to the Greyhounds early on in the contest.

“All we’re going to talk about all year is about how we manage the puck at their blueline and how we manage the puck in their zone,” said Greyhounds Coach John Dean. “In the second half of the first period and into the second period, we started using the net in the offensive zone and we started managing the puck at their blueline. When your leaders and your best skilled players are doing that, everyone else follows.”

For the Rangers, the Greyhounds forced the visitors to turn the puck over and made life difficult in the process.

“We turned over too many pucks,” said Rangers Coach Jay McKee. “We got away from what helped us have success in the first six games. When you’re turning over pucks and have to chase back to your own zone and you’re not putting pucks on net and driving to the net, it’s making it easy for the opposition.”

McKee added that he felt the Greyhounds outworked the Rangers.

After the game shifted late in the opening period, the Greyhounds would take the play to the Rangers in the second period, outshooting the visitors 14-3 in the frame.

“The biggest challenge when you’ve got a skilled group is to make sure you’re blocking shots and managing the puck,” Dean said. “Our best players tonight managed the puck really well and made really good choices.”

“(The Greyhounds) tracked back hard and their defencemen had some good gaps on us and they forced us to turn over pucks,” McKee said. “We chose to try to make plays instead of getting pucks in behind their defencemen and making them play a 200-foot game. When we’re turning the puck over at their blueline all night long and they’re going back the other way, it’s an easier game for them.”

Keeghan Howdeshell and Barrett Hayton had a goal and an assist each for the Greyhounds. 

Morgan Frost set up three goals while linemate Zack Tortt set up a pair.

Cole MacKay and Mac Hollowell also scored for the locals.

Matthew Villalta made 27 saves for the Greyhounds

“He was there when we needed him,” Dean said.

The Greyhounds coach said a decision had not been made on who would start Sunday’s game against North Bay.

On the injury front, Dean said defenceman Anthony DeMeo was healthy enough to play but the team wanted to keep the lineup similar to what they dressed on Wednesday in a win over Flint.

Joe Carroll also sat out on Friday with a lower-body injury.

Rickard Hugg had the lone goal for the Rangers, beating Villalta late in the third period.

Luke Richardson made 26 saves for the Rangers.

The Greyhounds improve to 5-3-1-0 while the loss is the first in regulation time for the Rangers, who drop to 4-1-2-0.

The Greyhounds return to action on Sunday afternoon at the GFL Memorial Gardens against the North Bay Battalion. 

The game is the second meeting of the season between the two clubs, who last met on Sept. 22 in what was the Greyhounds home opener.

The Greyhounds, backed by 33 saves from Villalta and a pair of goals from rookie forward Alex Johnston, beat the Battalion 6-0.

In other action around the OHL on Friday night, in Flint, Justin Brazeau and Adam McMaster had two goals and two assists each as the North Bay Battalion beat the Flint Firebirds 5-3. Brad Chenier added a goal and two assists for North Bay.

In Kingston, Jason Robertson had three goals and two assists as the Kingston Frontenacs beat the Erie Otters 7-4. Brett Neumann added two goals and two assists for Kingston. Chad Yetman scored twice for Erie.

In Mississauga, Michael Little’s goal at 18:31 of the third period was the game-winner as the Mississauga Steelheads beat the Hamilton Bulldogs 4-3. Jacob Ingham made 32 saves for the Steelheads.

In Ottawa, Marco Rossi had two goals and an assist as the Ottawa 67’s beat the Windsor Spitfires 4-1. Austen Keating and Jack Quinn had two assists each for Ottawa. 

In Sudbury, Jet Greaves made 28 saves as the Barrie Colts beat the Sudbury Wolves 4-1. Lucas Chiodo had a goal and an assist for Barrie.

In Guelph, Tag Bertuzzi had a goal and two assists as the Guelph Storm beat the Owen Sound Attack 6-3. Domenico Commisso assisted on three goals for the Storm. Daylon Groulx scored a pair of goals for Owen Sound. 

In London, Liam Foudy scored three minutes into overtime to give the London Knights a 7-6 win over the Sarnia Sting. Connor McMichael had two goals and an assist for London. 

In Oshawa, Declan Chisholm’s power play goal at 16:18 of the second period was the game winner as the Peterborough Petes beat the Oshawa Generals 2-1. Goaltender Hunter Jones made 45 saves for the Petes.

In league news on Friday, Ryan Oulahen stepped down as coach of the Firebirds earlier in the day. A release stated that Oulahen stepped down for personal and family reasons and that Greg Stefan would coach the team for the time being.