Team Effort Leads Steelheads to Victory
October 18, 2019 - Ontario Hockey League (OHL) - Mississauga Steelheads News Release
Mississauga, ON - The Mississauga Steelheads took on the Niagara IceDogs on Friday night in a rematch of the season opener.
The Steelheads got off to a quick start, as a powerplay goal from Richard Whittaker gave them the lead early in the first period. Thomas Harley extended his point streak to 7 games with a secondary assist on the play. The Steelheads would get into some penalty trouble but Joe Ranger made some spectacular saves to shut the door and keep the Steelheads ahead by one. The Fish increased their lead to two near the end of the frame as Washkurak sniped a wrist shot high glove on Christian Sbaraglia. At the end of the first period, both teams were tied in shots 16-16.
In the second period the IceDogs would find the back of the net, as Akil Thomas snuck one through the legs of Ranger on the powerplay. That would be the only goal of the period, as Mississauga outshot Niagara 22-9 in the frame with the score in favour of the Steelheads 2-1. The Fish would see the penalty box twice near the end of the period, setting up the IceDogs with a 5-on-3 powerplay to start the third.
The IceDogs made no mistake in capitalizing on the man advantage, as they tied the game on a goal from Philip Tomasino. Just a few minutes later, Mississauga regained the lead on a powerplay blast from Thomas Harley for his third point (1G, 2A) of the night. The Steelheads would hold on to defeat the Niagara IceDogs 3-2.
Mississauga's offense broke out in a big way, registering 54 shots on goal. Goaltender Joe Ranger had one of the best games of his young career in net, stopping 33/35 shots (0.943 SV%), while forward Keean Washkurak recorded a season high 7 shots on goal in the game.
Following the game, Joe Ranger had the following to say about the Steelheads win "We had a long week of hard work in practice and doing everything right in the gym. I have to give all the credit to the guys, they played a great game, I wouldn't have been able to do it without them. It was really crazy in the last couple of minutes, so to lockdown the fort like that, I was really thankful."
THREE STARS
1st star - Joe Ranger (33/35, .943 SV%)
2nd star - Thomas Harley (1G, 2A)
3rd star - Keean Washkurak (1G, 7SOG)
LINE COMBINATIONS
Niagara IceDogs
Castleman - Thomas - Uberti
Doherty - Tomasino - Sopa
Snow - Theriault - De Simone
Betts - Sims - Cook
Roberts - Howard
Hunter - Enright
Chanton - Cato
Sbaraglia
Tynan
Mississauga Steelheads
Prueter - Washkurak - Isaacson
Whittaker - Schwindt - Hardie
Dodig - Portokalis - Canade
DelBelBelluz - Varga
Del Mastro - Ham
Bjorgvik Holm - Harley
Penman - Davis/Sharpe
Ranger
Edmonds
The Steelheads will head to Erie on Saturday night for their final game of the weekend, before returning to the Paramount Fine Foods Centre on Friday, October 25th to take on the Oshawa Generals. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the Box Office, online through ticketmaster.ca or by calling 905-502-9100.
• Discuss this story on the Ontario Hockey League message board...
Ontario Hockey League Stories from October 18, 2019
- Spirit Shocks Troops 9-1 - North Bay Battalion
- Storm's Hillis Records Five Points, Downs Otters 7-5 - Erie Otters
- Fronts Fall 4-2 in Close Game with Bulldogs - Kingston Frontenacs
- Sting Take Down #1 Team in the Country; Beat Generals 9-5 - Sarnia Sting
- Sting Hand Generals First Loss of the Season in High Scoring Affair - Oshawa Generals
- Kade Landry Plays 200th Career Game, Bulldogs Win 4-2 - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Six-Goal Second Period Leads Spirit to Decisive 9-1 Victory - Saginaw Spirit
- Team Effort Leads Steelheads to Victory - Mississauga Steelheads
- Colts Lose in Hard Fought Battle against the Wolves - Barrie Colts
- Rangers Lose OT Thriller to the Firebirds, 4-3 - Kitchener Rangers
- 67's Last Minute Comeback Falls Short to Peterborough - Ottawa 67's
- Akil Thomas and Phil Tomasino Score in Hard Fought 3-2 Loss to Steelheads - Niagara IceDogs
- Game Preview: Undefeated Generals Faceoff against Unvictorious Sarnia Sting - Oshawa Generals
- Generals Announce Leadership Group for the 2019/2020 Season - Oshawa Generals
- Spirit Announce Return of Meijer Loyalty Rewards Program - Saginaw Spirit
- Preview: Spirit Face Battalion Friday in Their Only Trip to the Dow - Saginaw Spirit
- Curtis Trolley Re-Assigned to Lindsay Muskies - Peterborough Petes
- Weekend Preview - Steelheads Look to Bounce Back - Mississauga Steelheads
- Sting Get First Win of the Season in Barrie - Sarnia Sting
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.
