Sports stats



OHL Owen Sound Attack

Hounds Eke out Game 2 Win

April 6, 2018 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Owen Sound Attack News Release


The Owen Sound Attack did everything they could to take their Western Conference Semifinal series against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds back to Owen Sound with a commanding 2-0 lead, but their efforts came up just shy on Friday night.

Just 1:15 into overtime, Tim Gettinger slid a puck through Olivier Lafreniere's pads, handing the Soo a 5-4 win and evening the series up at a game apiece.

The Attack were the better team in the early going of Game 2, but it was the Greyhounds who were able to get the all important opening goal.

Trapped in the corner to the right of Olivier Lafreniere, Hayden Verbeek's only option was to try and centre the puck to an oncoming teammate.

That pass took a bad bounce off of Cole Cameron's skate and right into the back of the Attack net, giving Sault Ste. Marie a 1-0 lead with 13:47 gone in the opening frame.

And then Verbeek was back at it a few moments later.

With just under 2:00 to play before the intermission, Verbeek went streaking up the wall to the left of Lafreniere and just after he crossed into the faceoff circle he released a snapshot that beat the Attack keeper up high to give the home side a two goal lead.

That tally would be the final marker of the 1st period, and the Greyhounds seemed destined to increase that margin early in the middle stanza after a penalty to Jacob Friend with less than 10 seconds remaining in the opening frame carried over into the 2nd

The Attack found their bearings coming out of the intermission and after successfully killing off the remainder of the penalty to their captain, they were able to strike.

Ethan Szypula worked the puck beneath the Soo goal line with 4:44 gone in the frame before firing a no-look backhand pass to a wide open Brett McKenzie in the slot for the easy one-timer and Owen Sound's 1st goal of the game.

That tally seemed to wake the Bears from their hibernation.

Forcing the play predominantly into the Greyhounds' zone after the goal, the Attack's pressure eventually allowed them to tie the game.

This time, a dominant shift by the line of Mitchell Russell, Chase Campbell, and Jackson Doherty hemmed the Soo in their zone for so long that the Attack were able to get a change in.

Following the change, Jacob Friend blasted a slapshot into traffic in front of Matthew Vilallta, where the rebound dropped onto the stick of Maksim Sushko for a quick one-timer off the bar and in, tying things up with 6:15 to play in the middle frame.

It appeared as though that 2-2 score would carry over into the 3rd, but after Kevin Hancock was called for elbowing with 17 seconds left in the frame, the Greyhounds were able to find paydirt with almost no time on the clock.

Connor Timmins ripped a shot from the point towards a crowd in front of Lafreniere, and Taylor Raddysh was able to get his stick on it, puttig it into the back of the net with less than two seconds on the clock, giving Sault Ste. Marie a 3-2 lead heading to the locker room.

Raddysh's go-ahead goal seemed destined to be the game winner as the squads fell back into a more defensive-minded style of hockey in the 3rd, but after being held scoreless on their first three powerplay attempts on the night, patience paid off for the Attack.

With 9:20 gone in the 3rd, Markus Phillips found a wide open Brady Lyle at the point and Lyle blasted one of his patented slapshots cleanly past Vilallta and into the back of the net to tie things up at three apiece with plenty of action still ahead in the 3rd.

But the tie didn't last long.

In fact, less than 2:00 after Owen Sound made it a 3-3 contest, a pretty passing play by the Hounds saw Morgan Frost tap in his team's fourth of the evening, putting Sault Ste. Marie up once again.

Owen Sound wasn't going to let the Hounds tie the series up that easily though.

With the net empty and on a powerplay after Kevin Hancock was stuck in the face by a Boris Katchouk high stick, the Bears were able to take advantage of their Baywest Nissan Powerplay Unit for the 2nd time in the period.

Finding the back of the net this time was Nick Suzuki, who took a feed from Kevin Hancock in the high slot and walked into a perfect snipe past Matthew Vilallta, tying the game at four and forcing Owen Sound's 3rd overtime game of the playoffs.

But for the 1st time in the 2018 post season, the Attack were on the wrong end of an OT decision.

Just 1:15 into the extra frame, Sault Ste. Marie captain Tim Gettinger slid a puck underneath Olivier Lafreniere's pad to give the Hounds a 5-4 win and even the Western Conference Semifinal up at a game apiece.

The Mark McDade Chestnut Park Shots on Goal concluded in Sault Ste. Marie's favour at 39-32.

Jacob Friend was named the Mac Taylor Corporation 3rd Star of the Game, while the Soo's Connor Timmins and Hayden Verbeek were tabbed as 2nd and 1st stars respectively on the night.

The Attack and Hounds will renew hostilities on Monday, Apr. 9 when Game 3 of the series takes place at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre at 7:00pm.

Tickets for the game are limited to standing room only and can be purchased at the MacVicar & McComb ReMax Attack Box Office when it opens at 8:30am on Monday morning.

Before Game 3, however, the organization shifts its focus to the 2018 OHL Priority Selection Presented by Real Canadian Superstore, which will take place on Saturday, Apr. 7 beginning at 9:00am.

Owen Sound will now 15 picks in Saturday's Draft first selecting at 15th overall.,

Fans can follow live the Attack's 2018 OHL Draft in real time.

A live television broadcast of the 2018 OHL Priority Selection presented by Real Canadian Superstore is also available and can be found HERE.

The Attack will also be hosting their annual Draft Day gathering in the Seniors Centre (former Tannery) which is located on the East Side of the Bayshore parking lot. Doors will open at 8:45am with morning refreshments and a light lunch being served at noon by East Side Mario's.

General Manager Dale DeGray will also speak to fans throughout the day, answering questions and providing background information on drafted players.

This season of Attack Hockey is presented by Lerners Personal Injury Lawyers and Bertrand & Muzzell Paralegal Services.

Check out the Owen Sound Attack Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from April 6, 2018


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central