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OHL Soo Greyhounds

Hounds Clinch Division Title Despite Loss at London

March 7, 2014 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Soo Greyhounds News Release


LONDON, ON- It's not often you can find comfort from within a loss.  But as the Soo Greyhounds opened their current three-game roadtrip falling 4-0 at London they could do just that.

Leading Windsor by 11-points in the West Division standings, the Spitfires loss on the same night guaranteed the Hounds the top spot in the division (Bumbacco Trophy), and the 2nd overall seed in the Conference come the 2014 OHL Playoffs.

"Last July as a staff we set an internal goal of winning our division.  To watch this season as our entire staff - on the hockey and business side - and players never allow the doubts of others to infiltrate the process and development, was truly a great experience" began GM Kyle Dubas.

"We have a lot left to accomplish this season, but this is an accomplishment that our players should certainly be proud of considering the very tough competition in our division and conference" Dubas concluded.

As for this night, the Hounds skated through a scoreless first period and trailed by a single goal through forty minutes, before three goals against (including one into an empty net) in less than six minutes of the third padded the London victory.

"We really didn't generate very much.  I didn't mind our first period, I thought we were actually quite good in the first and probably the better team but it was a sleepy first period.  We were describing it as a chess match early, two teams feeling each other out.  We got a tough break to start the second (they score 10 seconds in) and it seemed we unravelled a little bit.  We couldn't make passes, didn't have really any life or jump to our game.  It got a little bit better in the third but still couldn't generate" began Head Coach Sheldon Keefe.

"It's not a 4-0 game, it's a 1-0 game through 48 minutes of hockey.  We didn't have enough tonight.  We had too many players that didn't come to play" he continued.

The back-and-fourth first period saw Hounds tender MATT MURRAY tested just 2:27 in when Owen MacDonald was found alone in front, the backhand attempt was foiled keeping the game scoreless.

Some of the Hounds best chances came before the first period was ten minutes old.

First KYLE JENKINS ran out of room after jumping into a play with TYLER GAUDET, and then PATRICK WATLING tipped chance was stopped shortly after.

Defenseman ALEX GUDBRANSON would shine through the first, and the entire night helping the Hounds with three or four of their fourteen first period shots while his hits and solid play at his team's blueline made it difficult for the Knights.

It was play that was complimented by Keefe when asked post-game.

"I thought he was outstanding tonight and I'm glad you asked about him.  I really thought he was outstanding.  He's playing against some good hockey players and I thought he was really good" began Keefe on Gudbranson.

"It seemed like we would turn the puck over and he would be there and in the way, get it back for us and he was physical.  I really liked his game.  It was as good a game as I've seen from him.  He's played great hockey for us, it's gone a little bit unnoticed, but he's been real good for quite some time" Keefe said.

Scoring would open within seconds of the second period when a bounce from the corner to MURRAY'S right came out, off the side of the net and right in front to Ryan Rupert.  The unfortunate bounce led to Rupert's 19th goal of the season and a 1-0 London lead.

GUDBRANSON later made a sliding play to break up Chris Tierney's attempt and then back-to-back low pad stops by Murray kept the deficit to a single goal.

The Knights put together a stronger period than the Hounds and a flurry late in the period saw MURRAY with another large pad stop at one end while at the other London's Anthony Stolarz flashed the glove hand on JARED MCCANN while the London netminder was without his stick.

London held the one-goal lead through two periods.

In the third MURRAY continued to shine including a right pad stop on Chris Tierney with ten minutes to go, one of his 18 saves in the period and 44 on the night.

While playing 4-on-4 Josh Anderson redirected a point shot home at the 12:11 mark to make it a 2-0 deficit for the Hounds.

The Hounds pulled their goalie with about three minutes to play and despite the effort of DARNEL NURSE, Tierney netted an empty-netter to make it 3-0 at 17:43 and then forty-seven seconds later Brett Welychka put home the third attempt on Murray to seal the London 4-0 victory.

With the loss, the Hounds record dropped to 40-17-15 on the season, good for 86 points and claim to the West Division honours.

"It's obviously bitter-sweet after a night like tonight.  It's sixty-three games we've been through now so certainly our guys earned it.  Particular for our team that not  many people expected a whole lot from, it's a real nice accomplishment" started Keefe on the Division title, the Hounds first since 2008.

"I'm proud of our guys, the work they've put in and now it affords us the opportunity to rest some guys and really make sure we're ready to go when playoffs begin" he concluded.

NEXT UP;  Game 2 of the road trip goes tomorrow night (Friday, March 7) when the Hounds skate into Sarnia for the final time this season.

Game time versus the Sting is 7:05 p.m. and fans can hear all the action on our flagship station Rock 101, beginning at 6:35 p.m.

Sarnia, who has previously been eliminated from the post-season, enters with a record of 16-40-2-5, good for 39 points.

DO YOU HAVE YOUR PLAYOFF TICKETS YET?

2014 OHL Playoff Tickets for Games #1 and 2 in Sault Ste. Marie (dates to be announced) are on-sale to Season Ticket Holders and the GENERAL PUBLIC.

To purchase tickets, visit the Essar Centre Box Office during regular business hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday or 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

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