Bulls Edge Sting 3-2
October 19, 2014 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Belleville Bulls News Release
BELLEVILLE, ON - The Bulls looked to bounce back in another East vs. West contest on Sunday afternoon as the Sarnia Sting entered the Yardmen Arena. Belleville scored two early goals, and despite being outshot 52-33, the hometown boys came away with the 3-2 victory.
A fairly back-and-forth first period saw both teams firing a number of chances at a pair of young goaltenders in Connor Hicks and Justin Fazio. The Bulls got on the board first, though, when defenceman Cole Candella and Welland, Ontario native Niki Petti set up rookie Brandon Saiegon who back handed home his second of the year. With Stephen Harper and Jack Hanley sidelined due to injuries, veteran winger David Tomasek has jumped back to the blue line and local boy Brody Morris has been called up from Wellington. The pair hooked up for the Bulls second goal of the game at 9:23 when Tomasek buried a wrister from his defensive line mate Morris and Maurizio Colella, who picked up his first point of the year on the play.
Late in the period, Morris was handed 2 minutes for checking from behind that give the Sting their first man advantage of the contest. Shots favoured the bees 20-9 but the Bulls led 2-0 on the scoreboard after the first 20 minutes.
The second frame was a different story, however, as it was Sarnia's turn to light the lamp. While still on the power play that over lapped from the first, rookie Pavel Zacha put his club on the board and beat Connor Hicks for his 4th of the year. Anthony DeAngelo picked up a helper on the goal that cut the lead in half. Sarnia kept the pedal to the metal putting 17 shots on the rookie Hicks in the period. The Sting kept the momentum on their side when 1997-born winger Nikita Korostelev scored his team leading 7th of the season on the man advantage to lock the game up at 2's after two periods of play. Sarnia led 37-17 in shots.
As expected, both squads came out firing in the third, searching for the go ahead goal. After more then a dozen minutes of even strength hockey, the Bulls earned back-to-back 5 on 3 power plays but were unsuccessful as Fazio kept the door shut on a number of quality chances. In the dying seconds of the stanza, Remi Elie, who is currently on a 4 game point streak, buried a centering pass following a scramble in front of the Sting goal. Michael Cramarossa and Jordan Subban picked up assists on the game winner at 19:31.
Kanata, Ontario native Connor Hicks made 50 saves in his first OHL win.
"He performed very well tonight, their guy was outstanding and I thought Connor was equally as strong. He didn't give up many rebounds tonight and I thought he was very strong. To see him get his first win is I'm sure very special for him and his family." said Head Coach George Burnett following the win.
Newly acquired over-ager, Brett Welychka made his debut in a Bulls uniform Sunday afternoon.
"Brett is probably at about 70 percent right now and I think that says a lot about his character, him wanting to be in the game tonight. He is going to be a tremendous addition to our program both on and off the ice with his experiences and will make everybody better around him." Burnett added.
With the win Belleville improves to 8-2-0-0 thus far, sitting 3 points behind the Eastern Conference leading Oshawa Generals. The Bulls will have a few days to prepare for the second half of the home-and-home series with the Sting as they travel to Sarnia on Friday, October 23rd.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 19, 2014
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- Bulls Edge Sting 3-2 - Belleville Bulls
- Generals Secure Six Points this Weekend - Oshawa Generals
- Sting Edged out by Bulls - Sarnia Sting
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- Salituro Has Whale of a Time as 67's Rock Plymouth - Ottawa 67's
- Saginaw Spirit Fall to Guelph Storm at the Sleeman Centre - Saginaw Spirit
- Morning Skate: Bulls Wrap up Homestand vs. Sarnia - Belleville Bulls
- Marcus Dickerson Commits to Mississauga - Brampton Steelheads
- Wolves Lose 9th - Sudbury Wolves
- Bulls Hand Hounds First Loss - Belleville Bulls
- Greyhounds Suffer First Loss - Soo Greyhounds
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