OHL Soo Greyhounds

Spitfires Rally Past Hounds

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


WINDSOR, ON- While looking in the rearview mirror, the Soo Greyhounds had their latest opportunity Friday to extend the distance between themselves and the Windsor Spitfires.  

Windsor meanwhile was looking to extend their winning streak to an OHL-leading seven games.

After scoring on their powerplay of the game just 3:05 into the first period, the Hounds held leads through the opening two periods of play before dropping a 4-3 decision to their division rivals.

"We gave them life in the second period at a time when they had none.  Playing against a good team in their rink you expect them to have a strong push in the third period and they did" began Hounds Coach Sheldon Keefe following the game.

SERGEY TOLCHINSKY brought the Hounds to their first two shots of the game early on but couldn't beat Windsor netmidner Dalen Kuchmey.

Quickly after JARED MCCANN skated up the right side taking open ice to the goal before flipping his 23rd goal of the season home and a 1-0 Greyhound lead.

The powerplay marker saw BLAKE SPEERS and ANDREW FRITSCH picking up assists on the play.

While holding onto the one goal cushion MATT MURRAY turned aside a pair of redirected shots by Windsor around six minutes in, and then later stopped a shorthanded 2-on-1 between Brady Vail and Ben Johnson keeping the Hounds in front.

Meanwhile in the final minute, and while shorthanded for the first time of the night, Hounds centreman TYLER GAUDET broke in on a breakaway and tried to tuck the puck past Kuchmey's right pad to no avail.

The Hounds outshot Windsor 13-10 while leading 1-0 after the first period.

A Windsor powerplay carried over 1:16 into the second period but the Hounds were successful in containing the lead.

Offense would come quick and often in the later stages of the second.

First, PATRICK WATLING would extend the Hounds lead to a pair of goals when JEAN DUPUY sent the puck from the right corner to the goal, and while Kuchmey couldn't locate the puck quick enough, the Hounds overager was on the doorstep to put home his 15th goal of the season and a 2-0 lead.

For Dupuy, Thursday Night marked his return to the Hounds line-up after missing twelve games dating back to last month.

"Dupuy had some good jump and was part of what of what was our best line tonight" explained Keefe regarding the trio of Dupuy, Watling and Gaudet.

After MURRAY posted his 17th save of the game on Trevor Murphy, Windsor would get on the board at 14:43.

Steven Janes jammed the puck home on Windsor's 20th shot to cut the lead to 2-1.

Forty-seven seconds later TYLER GAUDET made it a 3-1 game circling the net and scored his 20th of the season from JEAN DUPUY and WATLING at 15:30.

BRYAN MOORE stared at a chance to put the Hounds up by a pair with 2:55 to go, firing a shot off a breakaway that was turned aside by the Windsor netminder.

Then with 2:06 remaining in the second, Windsor circled the Greyhound goal before Johnson batted the puck home to again bring the Spitfires within a goal, now trailing the Hounds 3-2.

And after a MOORE/ANDREW FRITSCH 2-on-1 in the final minutes was shot wide, MURRAY was forced to make one of his twelve saves of the period with just 4.2 seconds on the clock before sending the two teams into the dressing room through two periods.

Windsor came out of the gates stronger in the third period and would tie things up 5:58 in after Trevor Murphy skated around the zone, fed a pass back to Remy Giftopoulos who's wristshot found it's way through for a tie game.

Spitfires Captain Slater Koekkoek would give Windsor their first lead of the game at 11:16 when his powerplay shot from the blueline went through for a 4-3 Windsor lead.

The Greyhounds would pull MURRAY for the extra attacker with 1:55 to play, and then while having a powerplay resulting in a 6-on-4 advantage looked for the equalizer in the final minute but time would run out on this night, as they fell in Windsor by a score of 4 to 3.

The loss marked the Hounds first this season when leading after two periods of play and dropped their overall record to 34-13-1-4, good for 75 points.

"A tough road trip just go even tougher.  We need to move on and get the job done tomorrow" concluded Keefe.

To view the online scoresheet courtesy of the OHL CLICK HERE.

RED STAR THREE STARS OF THE GAME

1- WSR, Slater Koekkoek

2- WSR, Remy Giftopoulos

3- SSM - Jean Dupuy

POWERPLAY OPPORTUNITIES

Sault Ste. Marie - 1-for-6

Windsor - 1-for-3

NEXT UP, the Hounds continue their West Division roadswing on Friday Night - February 7th at the Plymouth Whalers.

Puck drop at the Compuware Arena is set for 7:05 p.m., and you can hear all the action starting with the Bay Mills Resort & Casino's pre-game show on Rock 101 (101.3 FM or online at www.rock101.net) starting at 6:35 p.m.

Check out the Soo Greyhounds Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from February 7, 2014


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