After a December 1st game cancelled against the Sudbury Wolves due to COVID cases, the first place (12-9) west division Soo Greyhounds took to the ice for their second to last home game before the 2021 OHL Christmas break against the visiting second place midwest (13-6-1-1) Guelph Storm in a Friday, December 3rd Ontario Hockey League matchup at the Memorial Gardens in Sault Ste Marie.

With a pass from the right faceoff circle from Kirill Kudryavstev, Greyhound Marc Boudreau finds the back of the net for his third of the season and his first goal since October 27th with a Soo goal over Owen Bennett’s catcher to give the host a 1 – 0 lead at 3:24 of the first. Bryce McConnell – Barker all alone in front of Bennett’s net at 14:28, McConnell – Barker slides is ninth of the season under the Storm goaltender Bennett’s right pad with Landen Hookey and Marco Mignosa drawing the helpers on McConnell – Barker’s goal. With a corss ice pass from Landen Hookey from just inside Guelph’s blueline, Rory Kerins sinks his 12th of the season from the left faceoff circle through Bennett’s five hole to bring the Soo’s lead to 3 – 0 at 15:55. Ryan O’Rourke notched the other contributor on Kerins’ goal. Cole Mackay feeds Robert Calisti from the top of the right faceoff circle to score Calisiti’s eighth of the season with Kerins’ registering the second assist on Calisti’s insurance goal at 16:19. With 30 seconds remaining in the period and chasing Bennett from the Storm net and sending the Soo into the first intermission up 5 – 0 was Kerins with his second of the game. MacKay set up the Greyhounds fifth of the game.

At 12:11 of the second period, Sasha Pastujov picks ups a Greyhound turnover to fire a wrist shot over Samuel Ivanov’s shoulder to pull the Storm within four. Danny Zhilkin had the lone helper of Pastojov’s goal. With 58 seconds left in the period, Tye Kartye nets his 19th of the season from the left faceoff circle over Guelph goaltender Jacob Oster’s pad. Kerins and O’Rourke setting up Kartye’s powerplay goal and increasing the lead to 6 – 1. Justin Cloutier finds the back of the Storm’s net through traffic under Oster’s blocker to give the Soo a 7 – 1 lead at 6:52. Tanner Dickinson had the assist on Cloutier’s third of the season. Danill Chayka catches a cross blueline pass from Luka Profaca to find the back of Ivanov’s net through traffic on a Storm powerplay at 17:13. Matthew Papais drew the other helper on Chayka’s goal. Guelph tandem Owen Bennett and Jacob Oster combined to stop 36 of 41 shots while Samuel Ivanov turned away 22 of 24 shots in the Greyhounds 13th win of the season.

Next up for the Greyhounds will be a December 5th afternoon matinee with a Teddy Bear toss puck drop at 2:047 p.m at the Memorial Gardens.

Photo Bob Davies