OHL Guelph Storm

Game Preview: Storm Look to Rebound in Sarnia

Published on November 14, 2015 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Guelph Storm News Release


Following their worst loss of the season in London on Friday, the Guelph Storm will look to get things back on track visiting the Sarnia Sting for a 7:05 puck drop in Sarnia on Saturday.

Steph Coratti, GuelphStorm.com ---

Saturday night is all about redemption.

Despite the Guelph Storm and the Sarnia Sting meeting for the first time this campaign, both teams will surely be coming out of the gates ready to play.

The Storm, handed their worst loss of the season in a 10-4 result on Friday night, fell behind 3-0 in the first 2:12 of play against the London Knights and could never recover. Taking notes from the disappointing loss, Guelph will need to put a stronger start on the top of their priority list come Saturday night in Sarnia.

The Sting, coming off a less extreme version of the Storm's loss, fell behind early to the Flint Firebirds on Friday night as well. The Firebirds, coming out to score two goals in the opening four minutes, put the Sting down 4-0 after the first period. The Sting, pushing for a comeback, did make it interesting with two goals in the second period and a third-period marker to make it a one-goal contest, but could never get the tying one in the eventual 4-3 loss.

Both the Storm and the Sting have lost their last two games played.

The puck is scheduled to drop at 7:05pm.

Player Watch

Guelph Storm

In the Storm's worst loss of the season on Friday, falling 10-4 to the Knights, Vlad Barulin was very much a bright spot for team up front. Netting two goals in the match-up, the six-foot, 176-pound winger first got the Storm on the board 8:02 into the opening period, getting behind London's defense to breakaway for a five-hole tally. The goal would cut the Knights' lead to two at the time, making it a 3-1 game. Barulin added one later in the third, using his speed and quick hands to cut in tight and put one past London's netminder. The Moskva, Russia native now has nine points (four goals, five assists) in 17 games this season.

Shouldering the load through Justin Nichols and Michael Giugovaz's five game suspensions, sophomore Bradley van Schubert faced 47 shots in the tough loss on Friday. Sticking through all 60-minutes of play, the six-foot, 200-pound goaltender came up with several big saves throughout the duration of the contest, continuing to put forth his strongest efforts to maintain the OHL's highest powered offense right up until the end of the game. Appearing in eight games this season, the Barrie, Ontario native has turned aside a total of 167 shots for a .831 save percentage.

Jumping into the Storm line up fresh off of representing Team OHL in the 2015 CHL Canada/Russia series on Thursday, defenseman Garrett McFadden didn't miss a step, registering three points on the night. Finishing a three-way passing play on the power play, the Kincardine, Ontario native recorded his third goal of the season in the middle frame of Friday night's lost, setting a new career-high in goals scored, surpassing his sophomore total of two compiled in 56 games in 2014-15. The five-foot-eleven, 180-pound blue liner also added two helpers in the first period, totaling for 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 18 games this season.

Two other notables are Jake Bricknell and Tyler Hill. In Friday's loss, Bricknell, appearing in his first game with the Storm, recorded a goal and an assist, while the overage Hill compiled three assists.

Sarnia Sting

Second on the Sting in offensive production is sophomore forward Pavel Zacha. The six-foot-three, 213-pound centre has 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 14 games this season, while currently maintaining a plus-five rating. Through the month of November, the Brno, Czech Republic native has been held pointless only once on Nov. 10 versus the Kitchener Rangers, recording four points in his last five games played, including a goal in the Sting's 4-3 loss to the Flint Firebirds on Nov. 13. Before being selected sixth overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft by the New Jersey Devils, in 37 games as a rookie in 2014-15, Zacha compiled 34 points (16 goals, 18 assists).

Leading things on the backend for the Sting is another second-year in Boca Raton, Florida native Jakob Chychrun. After making an impact on the OHL as a 16-year-old rookie in 2014-15 with 33 points (16 goals, 17 assists) in 42 games, the six-foot-two, 214-pound defenseman is 13th overall among league blue liners with 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 19 games this season, all while drastically improving defensively with a plus-nine rating (in contrast to the minus-11 recorded last season). Although, the month of November hasn't been the best for the defenseman, recording only two points in his last five games after compiling nine points (two goals, seven assists) in 12 games in October.

Someone who seems to be heating for the Sting, however, is Jordan Kyrou. The six-foot, 175-pound winger has two goals in his last two games played, while posting three points in five games through the month of November. In total, the Toronto, Ontario native has nine points (two goals, seven assists) through 17 games this season, while also posting a plus-six rating. Notably, the second-year forward has always been one to play a complete 200-foot game, maintaining a plus rating (plus-eight) as a rookie in 2014-15 as well. Offensively, Kyrou posted 36 points (13 goals, 23 assists) in 63 games as an OHL freshman.

The Opponent: Sarnia Sting (10-7-2-0, 22 points)

With 22 points, the Sarnia Sting are second in the West Division, seven points separated from the division's leader in the Windsor Spitfires (29 points). Currently holding a .579 win percentage heading into Saturday's match-up with the Storm, the Sting have lost their last two games played with their last victory coming back on Nov. 8 in a 3-1 loss to the Saginaw Spirit. Since then, the Sting have dropped two close one-goal contests, falling 3-2 on Nov. 10 to the OHL's best in the Kitchener Rangers, and then in their most recent game on Nov. 13, a 4-3 result at the hands of the Flint Firebirds.

In their last 10 games played, the Sting have put together a 4-5-1-0 record, and will be looking to push things back into the .500 area when facing off against the Storm on Saturday night.

GAME NOTES

Saturday's match-up will be the first of the season between the Storm and the Sting.

Both teams in the tilt have lost their last two games played.

Jake Bricknell, wearing No. eight for the Storm, recorded a goal and an assist in his debut on Friday.

Givani Smith (two games) and Justin Nichols (five games) will be out of the line up as they both serve suspensions received after altercations in last Sunday's game against the Windsor Spitfires.

Check out the Guelph Storm Statistics

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from November 14, 2015


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