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Owen Sound Attack

Attack Shut out Wolves in 3-0 Victory on Home Opening Night

September 22, 2018 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Owen Sound Attack News Release


The night we had all been waiting for...the Owen Sound Attack Home Opener. The evening started out with the Attack FanFest, hosted at the Harry Lumley Bayshore from 4:30pm - 6:30pm. Kids were playing on inflatables, getting revved up for the game as the adults took in some live music and beverages in the beer garden.

The Harry Lumley Bayshore parking lot started to fill up, forcing late arrivals to park out on the street or in separate parking lots. Typical for an Attack game in Owen Sound.

As doors open, a flood of fans started filling up the concourse as the players finished warming up in the stands. Music started to play, the building was getting louder and you could feel the excitement all around.

Fred Wallace, long time in-game announcer and Bear Radio host, introduces the 2018-19 roster, as the crowd gets pumped.

Any nerves the players still had didn't matter anymore...the puck was down.

The first minute of play was like any other. Nerves, excitement and adrenaline. Then almost out of nowhere, Mitch Russell puts the put to the back of the net 1:19 into first. The crowd was pumped. Russell's goal was assisted by Daylon Groulx and newly acquired Carter Robertson.

Halfway into the first, Bourque headed to the box at 9:34 for holding, sending the Attack to their first penalty kill of the game.

Sudbury's Shane Bulitka landed a penalty for tripping two minutes later at 11:40, sending the Attack to a Baywest Nissan powerplay.

Although they weren't able to pull through on the powerplay, Alan Lyszczarczyk put one past Jake McGrath at 16:05 into the first, revving the crowd up. Rookie Kaleb Pearson and Trenton Bourque, who has recently returned from NHL Training Camp with the St. Louis Blues, assisted the goal.

Sitting at 2-0 heading into the first intermission, the atmosphere in the rink was hyped up.

Mark McDade Chesnut Park shots on goal at the end of the first sat at 12 for the Attack, 5 for the Wolves.

As the second period got underway, things were pretty quiet. Fans were promptly back in their seats, but action on the ice was slow.

At 5:17 in, the Attack were sent to a Baywest Nissan powerplay thanks to Wolves Peter Stratis landing a penalty for cross checking. Owen Sound was unable to finish the job on the powerplay.

Fans got excited with a massive chance as Wolves' netminder Jake McGrath mishandles the puck behind the net and Kevin Hancock just misses the wraparound.

Another chance gets the crowd pumped as Aidan Dudas has a breakaway off the draw, sending the puck over to Kaleb Pearson but the shot gets blocked.

We saw at handful of penalties at 12:48 as the Wolves and Attack get into a tussle in the Attack end after an icing. Sudbury's Drake Pilon headed to the box for roughing, Blake Murray for unsportsmanlike conduct. Owen Sound's Chibrikov lands one for unsportsmanlike conduct, Doherty for interference and Russell for roughing.

No action out of the bounty of penalties and the second period came to an end.

Mark McDade Chesnut Park shots on goal for the second sat at 8 for the Attack, 12 for the Wolves.

The third period began much the same as the second, fans stayed quiet and not much action happened on ice.

At 9:13, the Attack were sent to a Baywest Nissan powerplay as Wolves' Nolan Hutchenson headed to the box for delay of game. The powerplay was short-lived as another handful of penalties was given out at 9:40.

Attack fans saw both Brady Lyle and Daylon Groulx skate towards the penalty box for hooking and unsportsmanlike conduct, respectively. Wolves' Cole Candella also received a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct. The game headed to 4 on 4 hockey.

Although the feeling in the rink intensified, there was not much more action on the ice until we see a big scrum in front of the Attack net with 1:49 left in the game. The crowd sees both Markus Phillips and Alan Lyszczarczyk head to the box, along with Wolves' Kirll Nizhnikov and Darion Pilon, all for roughing.

Seven seconds later, the crowd exploded as Kevin Hancock puts the puck in the back of an empty net at 18:18.

Crowd were on their feet as the final seconds counted down on the scoreboard, and burst into applause at the sound of the buzzer. Final score in Owen Sound, 3-0 for the Attack.

Attack's very own Mack Guzda earned first star honours with the shutout. Game-winning goal scorer Mitch Russell earning second star, with Sudbury's Jake McGrath earning the third star.

The Hatten Home Hardware Building Centre Hardest Working Player of the Game was won by rookie Kaleb Pearson, voted by the fans.

The Mark McDade Chestnut Park Shots on Goal finished at 33-31 in favour of Owen Sound on the evening.

The Attack are back in action on Friday night at the Sleeman Centre when they take on the Guelph Storm in a 7:30pm puck drop. This season of Attack Hockey is presented to you by Lerners Personal Injury Lawyers.

Check out the Owen Sound Attack Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from September 22, 2018


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