Richard Scores Twice in Return

Going into last nights game Guelph held on to the eighth and final playoff spot in the West. They were finishing the back half of a home and home with the leagues punching bag, the Erie Otters.

Guelph got off to the start they were looking at 2:49 of the first period when Francis Menard scored his twenty-third of the year, putting the Storm up 1-0. Guelph's lead wouldn't last long though as Erie responded just four minutes later when Johnny McGuire found the puck on his stick in the slot with an open net, he tied the game up at 1. The period appeared to be ending in a tie but Jake Evans had other plans. Guelph turned the puck over, and after receiving a pass from Jimmy McDowell, Evans scored to put the Otter's up 2-1 with thirty-nine seconds to go in the period and that's how it would end.

The first half of second period, the teams exchanged scoring chances before Dane Fox caused a Guelph turnover that he snapped top shelf over Storm goalie Brandon Foote. Guelph would trail 3-1 late in the period and needed someone to step up in their biggest game of the season. The Storm welcomed back forward Tanner Richard who missed several games due to an upper-body injury and he stepped up when it was needed. Richard scored with just over a minute to go in the period, Matt Finn found Richard wide open in the slot and Richard potted his twelfth of the year and more importantly it brought the Storm within one with twenty minutes to go.

Guelph took just over three minutes to tie the game up. The Storm's leading scorer Zack Mitchell notched his thirty-fifth of the year. The Storm didn't stop there as Francis Menard would add his second of the game on the power play. Menard banged home the rebound to put Guelph up for good, 4-3. Tanner Richard would score his second of the game just two minutes after Menard's goal to put the Storm up 5-3. Guelph would hold the fort after a late surge and power play by the Otters to win 5-3.

With the win Guelph moved up to 7th in the West, they got even better news when they found out after the game that the Grey Hounds lost to Plymouth. With the Storm W and the Soo loss the Storm have a 4 point lead on the Hounds, each team has two games remaining. Windsor who was idle dropped to 8th with Guelph's win and are just 1 point behind the Storm and have a game in hand on them now.

Guelph's remaining two games are against the Owen Sound Attack. The first of the two meetings is Friday night in Guelph and then they hook up again in Owen Sound on Saturday night. With a win in one of these games the Storm will lock up a playoff spot. Whether that's 7th or 8th will be decided this weekend.


Also look on the website for my interview with Erie Otter's forward Stephen Harper.


For all your Guelph Storm information give me a follow on Twitter @ChrisMcdonald91

Sparks Fly In Guelph- Sting vs Storm January 22, 2012

The Sarnia Sting made the trip to the Sleeman Centre on Sunday in hopes of getting back in the win column after losing 3-2 to the Spitfires Friday night. The Storm themselves were coming off a loss of their own as they fell in Barrie the night before.

The Storm faithful turned out in full force for the afternoon game and did not have to wait long before the opening goal. Hunter Garlent put the Storm up twenty-three seconds in, not the start Sarnia was hoping for. The remainder of the period seen Andrey Pedan throw a big hit that he was called for a head check, I didn't see any contact with the head from where I was sitting. Once play stopped Sting Defence men Adrian Robertson challenged Pedan and the spirited bought ended in a draw, but more importantly a Sting power play. Guelph would go on to kill the penalty. With just under eight minutes later Guelph would add to their lead after some magnificent passing that started in their own end when Dickenson sent a bank pass off the side boards right on to the tape of Francis Menard sending him on a two on one with Zack Mitchell. Once the Sarnia defence men went down to take the pass away Menard sent a beautiful saucer pass over the defender right to Mitchell who made no mistake and beat J.P. Anderson, putting the Storm up 2-0. Later in the period the Sting went back on the power play and with twelve seconds to go in the first, Sarnia defence men Connor Murphy sent the puck past Garret Sparks to cut the lead to 2-1. As the first came to end the game would see its second fight of the period, this time between Sarnia's Tyler Brown and a much younger Tyler Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi not only held his own but landed some serious bombs and took all the momentum back.

The second period would start with a bang too. At the 2:29 mark of the period the game would see its third fight, this time between Guelph's Spencer Turcotte and Sting forward Justice Dundas. This one was only some jostling before Turcotte got the take down. At the halfway point of the frame Guelph would get a five on three, but couldn't capitalize as Matt Finn would get a double minor just thirty seconds into their two man advantage. Finn was intially called for holding but received an extra two for unsportsmanlike conduct for voicing his opinion on the holding call. Guelph goalie Garret Sparks had been solid all game long and that wouldn't change as he continued to stimmie the Sting, as they killed off yet another of Sarnia's power plays. After two periods the Storm still lead 2-1 and Sparks had turned a side twenty-seven of the twenty-eight Sarnia shots he faced.

The third period Guelph showed they can hang with the big boys as they held Sarnia to only eight shots in the period and Sparks made multiple big saves throughout the game when his team was leading by a goal. Sparks was rewarded by his teammates when they were on a two man advantage late in the period. Francis Menard put the game away when he scored to extend the lead to 3-1 with 2:42 to go. Guelph would finish the game by killing off a late penalty.

Guelph won the game 3-1 in front of a home crowd of 4,033 fans. Sparks finished the afternoon with thirty-five saves and a first star nomination that was much deserved. Francis Menard chipped in with a goal and an assist, while Jason Dickinson had two assists.

With the win the Storm once again hold the last playoff spot in the west one point ahead of the Sault Grey Hounds. Guelph however has four games in hand on the Grey Hounds. Meanwhile the Sting still remain in fourth spot in the west and miss an opportunity to put some ground between them and fifth place Owen Sound. Yakipov remained out with a knee injury.

The Storm's penalty killers played a great game too as they killed off six of the seven power plays that were awarded to the Sting.

Garret Sparks played his best game of the season that I have personally seen him play. His positioning was good and he never panicked when the puck was loose around the net. Sparks's made it look easy as he turned away shot after shot. Look for my post game interview with Sparks on the website.

Next up for the Storm are the Niagara Ice Dogs on Friday the 27th at 7:30PM in Guelph.


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