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OHL Soo Greyhounds

Guertler Notches Three Points, Katchouk Nets Winner in North Bay

January 14, 2016 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Soo Greyhounds News Release


NORTH BAY, ON- As their Northern Ontario roadtrip began, the Hounds benefitted from strong specialty teams (2/3 PP, 2/2 PK) along with a combined seven points from the trio of BLAKE SPEERS, GABE GUERTLER and ZACH SENYSHYN, as they edged the North Bay Battalion for the second time this season.

"We mixed it up a bit and gave it a different look. We gave some guys some opportunity and moved some guys into different situations" began Head Coach Drew Bannister when asked about his specialty teams.

"It was obviously good tonight but that's just one go around. We want to make sure we have consistency in it too and hopefully they can become successful as two units" he added.

After trailing on two separate occasions, the Hounds would hold three separate leads of their own, including the deciding factor in the third period.

"I thought the first period I wasn't overly happy with.  The second was really good and we started to do some things really well. The third we handled some of their pressure well especially the last seven minutes when we had to kill that penalty and then we came out and got that goal and we really didn't give up much after that" said Bannister.

"On a whole we were just OK. We played probably just well enough to win and obviously our special teams were very good and in the end they probably won us the game."

One-and-a-half minutes into the first period TIM GETTINGER sprung BORIS KATCHOUK in the zone, but a hard charging Mark Shoemaker lifted the stick of Katchouk removing any real threat.

North Bay would open the scoring at 8:19 after Cam Dineen's 1st shot was stopped, he would follow-up on the play before moving the puck across to the left of BRANDON HALVERSON where it was deposited by Brett McKenzie.

And while the Hounds generated just three shots through the first 14:55 of the period, they would make the best of their first powerplay opportunity later on.

On the man advantage, GABE GUERTLER was given a feed at the top of the left circle and fired high past Jake Smith to tie the game at one goal a piece.

Steve Harland would regain North Bay's lead just under seven minutes into the second period.

Jake Ramalho let the first shot fly from the left point, before Harland picked it up from the doorstep made a move to his right before sliding it low on Halverson at 6:54.

Before the period hit the midway point the Hounds would connect for their second powerplay goal and pull even once again.

GUSTAV BOURAMMAN wristed a shot from the point, and around bodies in front of Jake Smith for his 3rd goal of the season

ZACH SENYSHYN would give the Hounds their first lead of the game with his 27th of season.

After the Hounds used a time-out to rest some players and draw up a plan, the Hounds won the draw and GABE GUERTLER drove to the puck behind the North Bay net before sending it out front to Senyshyn for the 3-2 lead.

Shortly therafter MAC HOLLOWELL had a wide open lane to the net and a created a near miss from pulling the Hounds ahead further.

The Hounds fired fifteen shots, the most in a period on Thursday, while holding the 3-2 lead after two periods.

A back-and-fourth third period took to the ice and TIM GETTINGER would ring the puck off the crossbar early as it eluded the extended lead.

After Cam Dineen's shot slowely went to the net at 4:11, Mike Amadio picked it up, spun and fired to tie the game at three.

Just over tow minutes later ZACH SENYSHYN won the foot race to the puck deep in North Bay territory, circled the net and send the puck in front where it went off a Battalion defenceman for his second goal of the night and a 4-3 Greyhound lead.

The Hounds would face a penalty-kill at the midway point of the period that saw their specialty team work the situation to a tee and keeping the puck to the outside and mainly outside their zone.

Two minutes after Zack Poirier tied the game (13:24), the Hounds would take the lead for the final time.

BORIS KATCHOUK was the recipient of a long pass that he skated up the right win around the North Bay defence and went to the goal before tucking it through the legs of Smith for the 5-4 lead.

North Bay would utilize their time-out late and after later pulling their goalie and the game seeing a face-off deep in the Hounds zone with ten seconds remaining, the Hounds killed off time en-route to the victory.

"North Bay is never easy and certainly Stan (Battalion Head Coach Stan Butler) does a very good job with his team, they're hard to play against" stated Bannister.

"To be able to come in here, score five goals and win the hockey game certainly is a positive for us and good start to our roadtrip" he concluded.

The win pulls the Greyhounds record to 18-17-5-1, good for 42 points and into a tie with Owen Sound for sixth in the Western Conference.

Owen Sound has played one less game than the Hounds.

ATTENDANCE - 3,153

RED STAR THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1-Zach Senyshyn, SSM

2-Gabe Guertler, SSM

3-Steve Harland, NB

To view the complete game summary CLICK HERE.

UP NEXT;

The quick two-game Northern Ontario roadtrip for the Hounds concludes TOMORROW NIGHT - Friday, January 15 - with another visit to the Sudbury Community Arena.

Game time against the Wolves is set for 7 p.m.

Fans can hear all the action beginning with the Bay Mills Resort & Casino's pre-game show on Rock 101 (101.3 FM, www.rock101.net) beginning at 6:30 p.m.

This game will also be simulcast on Oldies 93 (93.9 FM)

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Ontario Hockey League Stories from January 14, 2016


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