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OHL Guelph Storm

Storm Dropped 7-4 by Bulldogs in Teddy Toss Game

December 4, 2015 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL)
Guelph Storm News Release


Four straight power play markers by the Hamilton Bulldogs were the difference maker in a 7-4 loss for the Guelph Storm on Friday night.

Steph Coratti, GuelphStorm.com ---

Discipline is key.

The Guelph Storm certainly learned that the hard way on Friday night.

It would be four straight penalties, giving way to back-to-back five-on-three advantages, making all the difference in the Storm's 7-4 loss at the hands of the Hamilton Bulldogs.

Netminder Justin Nichols, through the first two periods of play, turned aside 23 of 30 shots, while back-up Michael Giugovaz closed out the final frame, facing four shots.

Givani Smith had a solid night offensively for the Storm, registering two goals and an assist.

Fellow second-year forward James McEwan got Guelph on the board first, scoring the much-anticipated Teddy Bear Toss goal 5:59 into the game.

For the Bulldogs, assistant captain Stephen Harper did most of the damage with five points (two goals, three assists) on the night.

To start the game, it would be all about that first Storm goal with fans waiting to toss their stuffed toys onto the ice in the annual Teddy Bear Toss. The wait wouldn't be long, with McEwan jumping ahead for a breakaway and making no mistake to get the Sleeman Centre raining teddy bears just 5:59 into the contest.

Following that, the Storm quickly found penalty trouble, with Garrett McFadden taking the first of the contest at the 9:15 mark. On the call, Connor Walters pocketed Hamilton's first on the man-advantage, tying the game up at one-a-piece.

The middle frame saw the most damage, with Smith taking the first penalty with a tripping call at the 2:40 point of the period.

1:04 into the power play, Hamilton's Matt Luff capitalized, giving the Bulldogs the 2-1 lead. The visitors never looked back.

With McFadden and Noah Carroll sitting for the first five-on-three advantage, the Bulldogs scored twice more with Michael Cramarossa and Harper extending the lead to 4-1 with goals at the 6:05 and 7:20 points respectively.

Just over three minutes later, the Bulldogs found the back of the net for their first even strength marker with Benjamin Gleason making it a 5-1 contest for the visitors.

The Storm would push to make something of the game, however, with Smith responding just over a minute later, scoring his fifth of the season to pull the home squad to within three.

Jacob Harris was next on the hunt in front of the Bulldogs' net, putting in a point shot from C.J. Garcia to make it a 5-3 game at the 13:32 point of the second period.

That would be as close as the Storm would get, though, with Harper going top shelf for the Bulldogs' sixth of the night just over three minutes later.

Gleason closed out the second's scoring with 1:20 remaining in the period, making it a 7-3 game heading into the final frame.

The final 20 minutes would feature only one goal following an offensively packed second, with Smith scoring his second of the night 31 seconds in.

The Storm are back in action this Sunday, hosting the London Knights for a 2:00p.m. puck drop at the Sleeman Centre.

GAME NOTES

Friday's match-up was the first ever meeting between the Storm and the Bulldogs.

Friday's game was the Storm's annual Teddy Bear Toss game, with James McEwan scoring the first goal 5:59 into the contest.

The game also featured the Guelph Mercury's Books for Kids.

With an assist in the 7-4 loss, Isaac Ratcliffe now extends his point streak to five games, recording two goals and three assists in the stretch.

Jacob Harris scored his first goal as a member of the Storm on Friday.

The Storm are back in action on Sunday, hosting the London Knights for a 2:00 p.m. start.

Check out the Guelph Storm Statistics



Ontario Hockey League Stories from December 4, 2015


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