OHL Oshawa Generals

Gens Come Up Short Against Majors

Published on February 10, 2012 under Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Oshawa Generals News Release


Mississauga, Ontario - The Generals came up short in Mississauga Friday night. Oshawa fell 5-2 to the Majors before a crowd of 2,732 at the Hershey Centre. The Majors scored the opening goal of the first period, and though the Generals tied the game twice, they never captured the lead. The game was tight until the third period when Mississauga tacked 2 to their total for a convincing victory. Oshawa's power play was 1/7 and Julian Melchiori had 2 points in the loss. Oshawa and Mississauga both had power play opportunities in the first period. While the Generals displayed solid puck possession and drove shots at the Majors' net, it was Mississauga's power play that clicked. Striking from inside the hash marks, Mika Partanen drew first blood at 15:38. Working from the boards, Dylan DeMelo slipped the puck to Partanen who had just enough time to beat Kevin Bailie glove side. Partanen's low crisp wrist shot gave the Majors the 1-0 lead. The Generals were down 1-0 going in to the second, but that changed quickly. Dealing from Mississauga's blue-line, Julian Melchiori dipped a shot through traffic that Maxwell blocked. Fortunately for Oshawa, Scott Laughton picked up the puck at the top of the crease. Laughton spun around and uncoiled a backhand that tied the game at 1. The Majors reclaimed a 2-1 advantage at 10:44. Once again, Partanen was the culprit breaking in all alone and firing a shot that Bailie stopped but couldn't freeze. Partanen dug out his own rebound and buried it stick side. Oshawa's power play was quick to answer the bell. Controlling the puck in Mississauga's zone, Andy Andreoff spotted Nicklas Jensen cruising towards the net. Jensen put a perfect touch on Andreoff's pass, squaring the game at 2. Jensen's stick-side, power play equalizer came at 12:45. The seesaw battle continued with the Majors jumping out in front at 13:49. Riley Brace netted his team leading 26th goal of the season, the end result of a 2-on-1 from in tight. Oshawa appeared to tie it late in the frame on a Lessio chip-shot from the top of the crease. Replays were inconclusive and at the end of 2, the Generals remained down by a margin of 3-2. Heading into the third, the Generals had the unenviable task of mounting a comeback on the road. In the final frame, the Generals pressed in the offensive zone, but at 6:33, Brace increased the deficit to 2. Scoring his 2nd of the night, he was sent in all alone compliments of an Alex Cord stretch pass. Brace deked right, found the opening he needed, and threaded it through for the 4-2 lead. The Generals made a valiant attempt to answer: Scott Sabourin undressed the right defender, but he ran out of real estate and couldn't narrow the gap. Brace hit the empty net in the dying seconds, capping off his hat-trick and completing Mississauga's 5-2 victory. Oshawa out shot Mississauga 36-28. With Belleville's win, Oshawa is now in a tie with the Bulls for the 7th seed in the Eastern Conference. Oshawa's weekend homestand begins tomorrow, Saturday February 11th, when the Generals battle the division rival Kingston Frontenacs at the General Motors Centre. Start time is 7:05 PM. This Sunday February 12th, Oshawa defends home ice against the Niagara IceDogs. 5 of Boone Jenner's Team Canada teammates are on Niagara's roster. Faceoff goes at 6:05 PM.

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 10, 2012


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