Hopes take a slide

February 18, 2012 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Mississauga St. Michael's Majors News Release


The Mississauga St. Michael's Majors playoff hopes took a slide on Saturday night, and it couldn't have happened against a more unwanted opponent.

The Belleville Bulls scored four second period goals en route to an 8-3 whomping of the Majors at Yardmen Arena in Ontario Hockey League action.

Stephen Silas had two goals and an assist, Adam Payerl had a pair, and Brendan Gaunce had four helpers as the Bulls (27-27-1-0) leapfrogged the Majors for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Majors had slipped from seventh to eighth before the game after the Peterborough Petes downed the Ottawa 67's 4-3 Saturday afternoon. Now with their 24-25-1-6 record, the Majors sit in the ninth spot in the Eastern Conference with 55 points.

Riley Brace picked up his 31st and 32nd goals of the season for the Majors, while Justin Rasmussen scored the other Majors goal.

Belleville took a 1-0 lead at 9:39 of the first period from Gaunce and Brady Austin before Silas put the home side up with their first power play goal of the period from Luke Judson and Gaunce at 13:48. Just under three minutes later Brace put the Majors on the board with a power play goal from Jamie Wise and Dylan DeMelo at 16:44, but the Bulls restored their two goal lead with another power play goal at 18:18 by Judson, assisted by former Majors Joseph Cramarossa and Jordan Mayer.

Majors Head Coach/General Manager James Boyd admitted it was difficult for his team to get anything generated with the amount of time they spent in the penalty box, which totaled 36 minutes on the night.

"I thought we got behind the eight-ball trying to kill penalties and couldn't recover.

"We battled back after the third goal but after the fourth, the ice was slanted in favor of the Bulls after that. It's hard to win in this league when you play almost a period shorthanded. Belleville competed hard and we need to be better.

"We just have to refocus and get ready for Monday now."

Brace once again kept the Majors alive with his second of the game and 32nd of the season just 35 seconds into the second period from Sergey Kuptsov to cut the Bulls lead to 3-2. Unfortunately for the Majors, Brace's early goal failed to exhilarate the club, as Belleville responded with a goal at 9:28 by Silas from Cramarossa. From there on out the Bulls took charge as the Silas goal marked the first of four straight Belleville goals scored within just a 3:03 span.

Payerl notched his second from Daniil Zharkov and Gaunce at 10:14 to take a 5-2 lead which ended the night of Majors starter Brandon Maxwell, who allowed five goals on 21 shots. Mayer's 14th of the season and third as a Bull, assisted by Jake Worrad and Judson at 11:12 gave the Bulls a 6-2 lead. Jordan Subban kept things rolling for the Bulls with his fifth of the season from Gaunce at 12:31 to put the home side up 7-2. Rasmussen picked up his sixth goal of the season for the Majors from Kuptsov at 14:55 to close out the second period scoring with a commanding 7-3 Bulls lead.

Shots were 16-7 in favour of the Bulls after the first period, and 13 shots a piece during the second for a two period total of 29-20.

The lone goal of the period came from Worrad at 11:53 from Silas and Zharkov to solidify the 8-3 win for the Bulls.

Malcolm Subban earned the win in goal for the Bulls, stopping 30 of 33 shots he faced. After coming in in relief of starter Brandon Maxwell, Majors goaltender Spencer Martin stopped 14 of 17 shots over 29:46 of action.

The Majors were successful on one of their five chances with the man advantage, while the Bulls went 3-for-9 on the power play.

The Majors are back in action on Family Day when they host Derek Schoenmakers and the Sudbury Wolves at 2 p.m. Tickets are available by visiting www.ticketmaster.ca, or through the Hershey Centre box office prior to the game.



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 18, 2012


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