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Soo Greyhounds

Halverson, MacIntyre and PK Help Hounds Soar Past Windsor

February 19, 2016 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Soo Greyhounds News Release


For the third time in as many visits to the WFCU Centre in Windsor, the Soo Greyhounds skated away with atleast a point.

As they kicked off a three-game roadtrip on Thursday, the difference this time around was the visiting Hounds reaped the full reward in the form of a 4-1 victory largely in part to three main factors; their penalty kill, the goaltending of BRANDON HALVERSON and offense of BOBBY MACINTYRE.

Along with killing off three consecutive penalties while scoreless in the second period, the Hounds negated all four Windsor had on the night while HALVERSON posted 36 saves on 37 shots and MACINTYRE recorded a 3 point night (2g, 1a) in the victory.

"I think the obvious would be Halvy (netminder Brandon Halverson). I don't really have to explain how good he was, he was excellent for us in the first. I thought we kept guys to the outside, but they funnel a lot of pucks and they're big and strong and get inside and bang some pucks away, but he certainly had to make some real good saves for us. Overall he was real good" began Head Coach Drew Bannister when asked about the positives of the game.

"Our PK was excellent. We were in shooting lanes, we disrupted them up-ice a bit. In zone I thought we did a good job and again, Halvy was the best penalty killer. We blocked some shots and had good sticks" he added.

Windsor came out in a wave to start the contest, particularly in the first seven-and-a-half minutes, where they outshot the Hounds 8-0 during that span.

The Hounds would respond later on and while unable to get the offense going saw their netminder post fourteen saves in the period and a solid defensive play highlight the frame.

With under three minutes to go in the period, MEDRIC MERCIER got the stick down in front of Halverson to eliminate the backdoor cross-crease feed.

The buzzer sounded ended twenty-minutes of play scoreless, for the fourth consecutive game.

Starting in the opening minute of the second, the Hounds would find themselves shorthanded for 5:16 of the first twelve minutes of the period.

During the middle penalty-kill the Hounds would notch a shorthanded goal to open the scoring.

BOBBY MACINTYRE skate in-flight on a 2-on-1 with the Hounds BORIS KATCHOUK and opted to shoot around the Windsor d-man while beating Michael DiPietro to the blockerside for the 1-0 lead.

For MacIntyre it was his 16th goal of the season.

The Hounds would later have their first powerplay of the game, but kept with the single goal advantage through forty minutes.

Connor Chatham was credited with the game tying goal just 1:14 into the third period as a point shot was blockered forward by HALVERSON and appeared to hit off the Windsor forward and bounce right back and past the Greyhound goalie.

While the play was reviewed, it was deemed a good goal, and Windsor pulled onto even terms with the Hounds.

HALVERSON was called upon for a big pad save with thirteen minutes to go in regulation.

After a turnover inside the Greyhounds zone, Hayden McCool set-up Mads Eller only to be denied by the left pad save.

"He was real calm, especially in the first period with the puck, we were under pressure a little bit and they were taking our D away, just holding onto it and finding our centerman so we could relieve pressure" said Bannister of the Hounds netminder.

"Just killing plays and made it pretty easy on our D for the most part, not having to clear a lot of pucks or box out a lot of guys because he did such a great job ending the play and controlling his rebounds" he added.

Greyhounds captain BLAKE SPEERS regained the Hounds lead near the midway point, scoring his 16th goal of the year, and first agains the Spits this season, at the 9:26 mark.

Speers wrist shot hit the mark and went blocker side on DiPietro for the 20-1 lead.

Less than two minutes later, the Hounds skated three strong into the zone where MACINTYRE put a wrister off his own towards the net and it appeared to go off a Windsor stick and go gloveside through for a 3-1 Greyhounds lead.

MORGAN FROST and COLTON WHITE picked up the assists.

And while Windsor pulled their goalie with 2:30 to go in regulation time, the Hounds weathered the pressure keeping most to the outside, before eventually being rewarded.

With less than a second on the clock, ZACH SENYSHYN's long shot found the open net for his 34th of the season while sealing the 4-1 victory just before the buzzer.

With the win, Hounds improved to 15-9-3-1 on the road this season while improving to 26-21-6-1 on the year, good for 59 points.

The Hounds are now within a point of the sixth place Owen Sound Attack in the Western Conference standings through 54 games.

Owen Sound travels to Guelph on Friday.

"I was bugging Bobby after the game, it was his 17th goal he's only 4 goal away from his 3-year output in Mississauga. He was real good today. He's playing with a young centreman and he does a lot of work for him and he's been killing penalties and doing a great job for us. I think there is some untapped value there in the sense that I think we're seeing what he can contribute offensively" began Bannister when asked of the game's 1st star.

"I think Bobby can still give more, I think he doesn't shoot the puck enough. I don't think he realizes how good a shot he has, I'd like to see him shoot more" he added before continuing his thoughts.

"We missed him at the beginning of the year when he went on that 6 game suspension we kind of went on a slide. Since he's been back our team has leveled out, we've got better, we've had more consistency in our lineup and he's a big part of that."

ATTENDANCE - 4,669

RED STAR THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1-Bobby MacIntyre, SSM

2-Brandon Halverson, SSM

3-Connor Chatham, WSR

UP NEXT;

Game 2 of the Hounds West Division roadtrip goes THIS SATURDAY, February 20 at the Saginaw Spirit.

Puck drops at 7:05 p.m.

Fans can hear all the action beginning with the Bay Mills Resort & Casino's pre-game show on Rock 101 (101.3 FM, www.rock101.net) beginning at 6:35p.m.

This game will also be simulcast on Oldies 93 (93.9 FM)

Check out the Soo Greyhounds Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 19, 2016


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