OHL Soo Greyhounds

McCann, Bunting and Tolchinsky Explode in Hounds Win against Kitchener

February 21, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Soo Greyhounds News Release


SAULT STE. MARIE, ON- On a night when the Soo Greyhounds took over top spot in the overall OHL standings, Head Coach Sheldon Keefe wasn't impressed with the entire picture the Hounds painted in their win over the Kitchener Rangers.

"We didn't play very well at all. We played a tired team. They lost a couple defencemen and we took advantage of that. The schedule hasn't been too kind to us either and we're happy we had that kind of effort in the third to get it done" he began when asked post-game if he was impressed with his team's play.

"We called on that after somewhat of a chaotic second period, we called for that in the third. Guys responded really well so we leave here with a positive but the first two periods weren't great and the amount of penalties both ways didn't help the flow of the game at all" he continued.

As the Hounds and Rangers met for the third time this season, and first in Sault Ste. Marie, the two teams were tentative off the start as indicative by the limited shots by the Hounds and none against in the opening seven minutes of the first period.

The story of the first period would come late in the period when penalties twenty-two second apart (14:54 and 15:16) put the Rangers on a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:39 of play.

Active sticks by the Hounds trio of TYLER HORE, TIM GETTINGER and COLTON WHITE got the Soo's momentum peaked as they negated the shorthanded situation without giving up a goal.

When time expired on the penalties, JEAN DUPUY was sprung stepping up the right side but would be foiled by a solid pad stop by the Rangers' Jake Paterson.

The home side would give the Essar Centre fans more to cheer about shortly thereafter with the first goal of the game with 1:32 to play.

MICHAEL BUNTING slipped a backhand pass to SERGEY TOLCHINSKY who's no-look pass found JARED MCCANN who fired blocker side for his 29th goal of the year and a 1-0 Greyhound lead after the first period.

Early in the second period (1:41), Kitchener's Liam Maaskant was assessed a match penalty for slew footing against BRYAN MOORE and the Hounds would strike twice on the five minute power play.

At 4:56 ANTHONY DeANGELO would receive a cross-ice feed from JARED MCCANN and wristed home his 16th goal of the year for the 2-0 lead. SERGEY TOLCHINSKY picked up the second assist.

Then less than a minute later (5:40) ZACH SENYSHYN redirected a point shot in front to stake the Hounds out to a 3-0 lead.

Max Iafrate put the Rangers on the board at 9:26 as his shot through a crowd, shorthanded, cut the Hounds lead to 3-1.

The final five minutes of the period would prove hectic.

First, KEIGAN GOETZ and Frank Hora would drop the mitts near centre ice after the Ranger defenceman took exception to a hit by the Greyhound forward that would result in seventeen minutes in penalties to Kitchener, including the instating minor penalty.

Then after a questionable hit on NICK RITCHIE, play continued up ice where Ryan MacInnis put the Rangers within a goal, now trailing 3-2.

Following that play tempers flared that saw RITCHIE, ANTHONY DEANGELO along with Rangers Max Iafrate and Connor Hall combine for forty-four minutes in penalties and one game misconduct (Iafrate).

Hounds led 3-2 through forty minutes.

JARED MCCANN increased the Hounds lead just over five minutes into the third period finishing off a centring pass at 5:02, for the 4-2 lead.

At the Hounds end of the ice, BRANDON HALVERSON stopped MacInnis' latest attempt keeping the two goal cushion, with one of his 31 saves on the night.

"He's been playing his best hockey of the year the last couple weeks and continued with it today" said Keefe of his net minder who registered his 32nd win of the season.

"He was rock solid. There was a star goalie down at the other end and he (Halverson) was really good in our net and a big difference in the game, it could be a lot different game if he's not especially through the first two periods" he continued.

The Hounds would book-end the final three goals of the third period to round out the scoring.

First, MICHAEL BUNTING notched his 31st goal of the year at 9:21, while ZACH SENYSHYN netted his second of the night, this time into the empty net with 1:12 to play in regulation time.

Adam Mascherin had the Ranger's third goal, on the power play, at 12:41.

Kitchener was held off the scoresheet 5-on-5, while the Hounds attack countered four times even strength en-route to the win.

MCCANN (2g, 2a), BUNTING (1g, 3a) and TOLCHINSKY (4a) were yet again topic of conversation following the game, and rightfully so.

"The line has been explosive and was explosive tonight especially in the third when the game started to open up a bit. They were dynamic and they gave us the type of effort we needed. We needed our best players to carry us" commented Keefe.

"We already had Speers (Blake) out, lose Ritchie (Nick), Bailey (Justin) is playing on one leg and we're pretty beaten up and it's our 10th game in 17 days and I liked how that line carried us offensively. And the other guys did a lot of work to make it a pretty sound third period" he concluded.

The Hounds victory, which improved the club to 45-11-0-2, combined with Oshawa's loss vaulted the locals into top spot overall in the Ontario Hockey League.

They have a one point advantage over the Generals, while Oshawa holds two games in hand.

ATTENDANCE - 4,612

RED STAR THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1-SSM, Jared McCann

2-SSM, Michael Bunting

3-KIT, Ryan MacInnis

To view the online scoresheet CLICK HERE.

GAME NOTES;

*Hounds forward BLAKE SPEERS who suffered a minor shoulder sprain in the second period on Friday did not dress on Saturday Night. Meanwhile, NICK RITCHIE returned following his one-game OHL imposed suspension after receiving his 4th boarding minor penalty earlier this week. He would later leave the game in the second period did not return. He will re-evaluated by the club on Sunday.

*Other scratches for the Hounds were TYLER GANLY (injured) and DARNELL NURSE (injured).

*JUSTIN BAILEY played limited after being a game time decision following blocking a shot in Friday's game vs North Bay.

*Hounds forward/defence combinations heading into the game were;

Bunting - McCann - Tolchinsky

Ritchie - Dupuy - Bailey

Moore - Guertler - Senyshyn

Gettinger - Verbeek - Goetz

Boland - DeAngelo

Mercier - Hore

White - Bouramman

*Defenceman TYLER HORE entered the game leading ALL OHLers in the +/- department sporting a +48 rating in 52 games played

NEXT UP;

The Hounds will now prepare for two more games on home-ice next weekend.

Friday, February 27th (7:07 p.m.) the Windsor Spitfires come to town for the 4th meeting between the two West Division clubs. Thus far the Hounds sport a 3-0 record against the Spits.

The game is proudly presented by RBC.

Then on Sunday - as part of Hometown Hockey festivities, the Hounds host the London Knights.

** NOTE game time for this game has been changed to a 3 p.m. start to facilitate the national television audience on Sportsnet.

Tickets for both games are on-sale at the Essar Centre Box Office (Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 10 a.m. through game time on game days), online at www.essarcentre.ca or by phone at 1.866.775.9422

Check out the Soo Greyhounds Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 21, 2015


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