Early-Lead Sets up Hounds for Second Straight on the Road
February 5, 2016 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Soo Greyhounds News Release
MISSISSAUGA, ON- After building up a 3-0 lead early in the second period, the Soo Greyhounds worked past some latter mental mistakes while withstanding two-quick goals by Mississauga to skate to their second straight victory on the road Friday Night.
Up against "probably the best skating club that we've played against thus far this year" according to Head Coach Drew Bannister, the Hounds defeated the Steelheads 5-3 en-route to their third consecutive victory.
ZACH SENYSHYN netted his 32nd goal of the season and put the Hounds ahead just fifty-four seconds into the first period with the 1-0 lead.
After Mississauga netminder Jack Flinn made the initial save, SENYSHYN was on the doorstep to bury the game opening goal, assited by HAYDEN VERBEEK and COLTON WHITE.
Then minutes after killing off a shorthanded situation, the Hounds took the 2-0 lead at the 5:21 mark. HAYDEN VERBEEK created the turnover before setting up BORIS KATCHOUK who fired his 19th goal of the season home past the glove hand of Flinn.
For Katchouk that was his 5th goal in the last three outings for the Hounds.
The Hounds outshot Mississauga 13-9 in the first period and led 2-0 heading into the dressing room.
On their first powerplay of the game and first shot, coming just 1:27 into the second period, the Hounds extended their lead to a three goal cushion.
BLAKE SPEERS took the puck deep in Mississauga territory before sending the pass outfront where TIM GETTINGER's quick release from just outside the crease extended the Hounds to a 3-0 lead.
Hounds forward GABE GUERTLER and Steelhead centreman Everett Clark would later drop the mitts shortly after exiting the penalty box from minors sending them right back, and having both players sit seven of the periods first eleven minutes in the box.
Jason Smith took advantage of a Greyhound turnover in neutral ice and would put the Steelheads on the board after skating up the left wing and teeing up a shot that cut the Hounds lead to 3-1 after forty minutes of play.
Nearing the midway point of the third period, BRANDON HALVERSON registered his 34th save of the night turning aside the previously mentioned Clark on a set-up by Daniel Muzito-Bagenda to keep the two goal cushion intact.
The Hounds netminder was solid all game long, putting in a 39-save performance for his 10th victory in his last 14 starts.
Mississauga would later make the game close taking advantage of two quick goals.
Owen Tippett was sprung the puck as he exited the box and would fire a shot that HALVERSON got a piece of at 15:44 to cut the lead to a pair of goals.
Then thirty-nine seconds later, Muzito-Bagenda skated up the wing beating the Hounds defenceman to the net before tucking the puck low to make it a 4-3 game.
The Hounds would seal the victory though with just over a minute to play (18:58) as GABE GUERTLER fired from neutral ice and into an empty net for his 20th goal of the season, and a 5-3 victory for the Hounds.
"I'm happy that we won. We are on the road, we're a young team. We come into a pretty good hockey team. This is a good hockey team that's going to come" said Bannister.
"They skate as well as we do, they're a good skating club. That's probably the best skating club that we've played against thus far this year so I don't want to take anything away from them" he contineud before continuing his thoughts on his teams performance.
"We were able to weather the storm when we put ourselves in trouble. Anytime you win on the road, we've got two (and they're a rested club) and we came out and played well. I don't have any issues with the effort, I thought we worked hard and the compete level was there" he concluded.
With their third straight win, the Hounds improved to 23-20-5-1 on the season, good for 52 points and as a result hopped overtop the Owen Sound Attack and into sixth in the Western Conference.
Owen Sound holds a game in hand on the Hounds.
Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 5, 2016
- Steelheads Rally in the Third, Fall Just Short - Brampton Steelheads
- Mascherin Tallies Twice as Rangers Drop IceDogs 4-1 - Kitchener Rangers
- Early-Lead Sets up Hounds for Second Straight on the Road - Soo Greyhounds
- Spirit Struck by Storm in Shootout 4-3 - Saginaw Spirit
- Firebirds Drop Overtime Heartbreaker to Sudbury - Flint Firebirds
- Sicoly, Giugovaz Lead Storm to Shootout Win over Spirit - Guelph Storm
- Bulldogs Rally to Beat 67's - Brantford Bulldogs
- Erie Beats Sarnia 3-2 in a Shootout - Sarnia Sting
- 67's Explosive Start Not Enough in Loss to Bulldogs - Ottawa 67's
- Otters Stay Perfect in the Shootout - Erie Otters
- Rangers Anything But a Walk in the Park for Niagara - Niagara IceDogs
- Attack Fall to Knights in London - Owen Sound Attack
- Battalion Faces 'Dogs with Plenty on Line - North Bay Battalion
- Wolves Fall Under Fire - Sudbury Wolves
- Commemorative Petes Pink in the Rink Sweaters Unveiled - Peterborough Petes
- Stewart Leaves Spirit to Pursue Other Opportunities - Saginaw Spirit
- Preview: Spirit Look to Weather the Storm Friday - Saginaw Spirit
- Firebirds Host Sudbury Friday, Kitchener Saturday in Flint - Flint Firebirds
- Game Preview: Storm, Spirit Meet for Final Match-Up - Guelph Storm
- Greyhounds Rebound for 5-2 Decision - North Bay Battalion
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