OHL Owen Sound Attack

Attack Strike First in Western Conference Quarterfinal

Published on March 22, 2018 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Owen Sound Attack News Release


The London Knights found the back of the net first, but it wasn't enough to take Owen Sound's home ice advantage away.

A pair of goals by Alan Lyszczarczyk and singles from Kevin Hancock, Maksim Sushko, and Nick Suzuki lifted Owen Sound to a thrilling 5-4 victory over the London Knights on Thursday, Mar. 22, giving the Attack a 1-0 lead in their Western Conference Quarterfinal series.

A raucous Bayshore was silenced early when Richard Whitaker got the visitors on the board just 2:24 into the contest, banging home the rebound on an Andrew Perrott shot.

But shortly after taking the lead, the Knights attempted to squander it when Riley Coome drilled Aidan Dudas from behind sending the Bears to the Baywest Nissan Powerplay with less than 3:00 having been played in the opening frame.

And Owen Sound made no mistake.

With the first unit hammed the Knights into their own end, Alan Lyszczarczyk capitalized on the rebound of a Markus Phillips point shot, making it a 1-1 score with 15:58 to play in the 1st.

And then, benefiting from another dirty hit on Aidan Dudas, the Attack struck on another Baywest Nissan Powerplay at the 7:25 mark of the frame.

With Billy Moskal in the box for interference, Kevin Hancock won the faceoff back to Sean Durzi who fed it to Nick Suzuki for a one-touch pass back to Hancock. In the perfect position to one-time the puck, Hancock made no mistake and blasted his 1st of the post season past Joseph Raaymakers and into the back of the net for a 2-1 Attack lead.

That was short lived though, as the Knights were able to strike on a powerplay of their own shortly thereafter.

Alex Formenton was the beneficiary of an Evan Bouchard pass, and the Ottawa Senators prospect snapped the puck off of the post behind Olivier Lafreniere and into the back of the net, levelling the game once again.

Things settled down after London's 2nd of the evening as far as goal scoring was concerned, but the game continued to be played at a breakneck pace with both teams flying up and down the ice and throwing the body around.

And then, with 2:39 left before the intermission, Alan Lyszczarczyk picked up his 2nd of the game, snapping a perfectly placed shot below Raaymakers' glove, but above his pad to give the Attack a 3-2 lead that would carry over into the 2nd.

Jacob Friend drew the only assist on the play, and was also involved in a period ending brouhaha that saw Owen Sound's captain, Maksim Sushko, and London's Andrew Perrott and Alex Formenton take 2:00 minors all around.

The intermission did nothing to curtail the animosity between the sides, and just after the penalties from the end of the 1st expired, more offsetting minors were called.

This time, Trent Bourque and Richard Whittaker would take a seat for unsportsmanlike conduct with 2:27 gone in the 2nd, and on the ensuing 4-on-4, the Attack were able to capitalize.

Taking a headman pass from Kevin Hancock, Nick Suzuki delayed at the London blueline before putting himself in prime shooting position and snapping his 1st of the playoffs past a handcuffed Raaymakers to make it 4-2. Markus Phillips also assisted on the play, which came with 2:55 gone in the middle frame.

The Knights weren't about to let the Attack run away with it though, and less than 90 seconds after the Attack went up by a pair, the visitors were clawing back.

Jacob Golden drew the visitors within one by stealing the puck in the Owen Sound zone before roofing a snapper that made it 4-3.

And then, on yet another powerplay, Alex Formenton made it a 4-4 game with 12:30 left in the 2nd, also going upstairs to find the back of the net.

That's how things remained until another early period goal found the back of the net when play resumed in the 3rd.

But after watching their two goal lead disappear in the 2nd, this tally gave Attack fans something to cheer about.

After Aidan Dudas was able to get a puck on net that bounced off of Raaymakers and behind the goal line, Maksim Sushko made good on the 2nd effort, swatting the off of the Knights' goaltender's back and across the goalline for a 5-4 Owen Sound lead at 2:56 of the final frame. Daylon Groulx also helped out on the play for his first point on the evening, setting up the zone entry on what would wind up as the game winning goal.

An unsuccessful comeback attempt saw the Knights push Owen Sound for the final 17:00 of regulation, but smothering defence and a relentless effort to clear the zone with London's net empty allowed the Attack to hang on and take Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals by a score of 5-4.

Alan Lyszczarczyk was named the Mac Taylor Corporation 1st Star of the Game after leading the Attack with a pair of goals, while London's Alex Formenton earned 2nd star by virtue of the same performance.

Kevin Hancock was awarded 3rd star honours after his one goal, two point performance, while Sean Durzi was named the Hatten Home Building Centre Hardest Working Player of the Game in the win.

Olivier Lafreniere earned the victory, stopping 22 of 26 London shots as the Mark McDade Chestnut Park Shot Clock finished at 43-26 in favour of Owen Sound on the night.

Game 2 of the series will get underway at 7:30pm on Saturday, Mar. 24 at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.

Tickets are available for purchase at the MacVicar & McComb ReMax Attack Box Office, online at www.attackhockey.com, or by calling 519-371-7452.

Season Ticket Holders are reminded that they have until 1:00pm on Friday to claim their seats for Saturday night's game before they will be released for sale to the general public.

This season of Attack Hockey is brought to you by Lerners Personal Injury Lawyers and Bertrand & Muzzell Paralegal Services.

Check out the Owen Sound Attack Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from March 22, 2018


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