The Soo Greyhounds’ inability to capitalize on scoring chances proved costly Friday night
On a night when they were facing a former teammate in goal, the Soo Greyhounds struggled to capitalize offensively, and it ultimately cost the team a point in the Ontario Hockey League standings.
A day after a game that Greyhounds coach John Dean called “a stinker” against the Niagara IceDogs, it was an inability to capitalize on scoring chances on Friday that cost the Greyhounds.
Though they got the game to overtime and a shootout, the Greyhounds dropped a 3-2 decision to the Erie Otters Friday night at Erie Insurance Arena
Dean agreed that the game felt like the team left a point on the table.
“There’s an opportunity to really bring the heat and get two points,” Dean said. “We thought we put in a decent effort, but it’s not our night tonight.”
On a night when they seemed to struggle finishing chances offensively, Dean credited the Otters for doing “a good job of clogging the Ozone.”
“If you don’t score on your first chance, it’s going to be tough to score on your second one,” Dean said, adding that former Greyhound Noah Tegelaar “played a great game” for Erie.
“He had a great night,” Dean said of Tegelaar. “He played a great game and he’s a big part of their win tonight.”
Dean added that the game came down to the Greyhounds inability to finish on their chances.
“We had some really sharp-looking opportunities that (we don’t) bear down on,” Dean said.
Asked about beating his former club, Tegelaar said getting the win “felt unreal.”
“Coming into the game, I knew it was going to be a challenge, but I wanted to win so badly, and it felt good to get it,” Tegelaar said in media availability provided by the Otters.
“It showed hopefully what he’s capable of,” added Otters coach Kris Mallette. “We talk about standards and tonight he set a standard for himself with the compete, the battle.”
Greyhounds forward Jeremy Martin said Friday’s game was an improvement over their loss on Thursday against Niagara and spoke on the motivation of facing a former team.
“When we play Flint, I always want to put my best foot forward and stick it to your old team,” Martin said. “I knew coming in that he was going to have a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. He wants to beat his old team. There’s a lot of motivation that goes into that and he found his way today.”
The Greyhounds opened the scoring in the game as Chase Reid took a shot from the right point was deflected past Tegelaar at 17:25 of the opening period.
Erie tied the game 2:23 into the second period as Jake Murray scored 5-hole on Greyhounds goaltender Carter George in close after he was stopped initially on a redirection of a shot by defenceman Tristan Trevino.
The Otters took a 2-1 lead as Michael Dec beat George with a one-timer off a pass from Andrew Kuzma from the left wing at 14:47 of the middle frame.
It was late in regulation time that the Greyhounds would get the game back on even terms.
Jeremy Martin beat Tegelaar with a shot from the top of the right faceoff circle through traffic with 3:41 to go in the third to make it a 2-2 game.
After the teams skated through a scoreless overtime period, it was McLean Agrette who ended it, beating George on a backhand glove side in the fifth round of the shootout to give the Otters the extra point.
Tegelaar made 34 saves for the Otters in the victory while also stopping four of the Greyhounds five shooters in the shootout.
George made 21 saves for the Sault and three saves in the shootout.
The Greyhounds are scheduled to wrap up the weekend on Sunday on the road against the Brantford Bulldogs.
The team will take a 29-15-1-2 record into that game.
The Greyhounds gained a point on the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL’s West Division standings after the Spitfires lost Friday night on the road against the Kitchener Rangers. The Greyhounds sit seven points back of the Spitfires. The team also sits six points behind the Flint Firebirds for second in the division after the Firebirds lost in overtime on Friday at home against the Barrie Colts.
The Greyhounds have a game in hand on both the Spitfires and Firebirds.
The Greyhounds played Friday’s game with five regular defencemen in the lineup after receiving word earlier in the day that veteran Spencer Evans had been suspended.
Evans was suspended for three games by the league after getting hit with a major penalty for slashing on Thursday against Niagara.
Tobias Zvolensky was inserted into the lineup for the game against the Otters as a defenceman.
Earlier in the day Friday, the OHL announced its academic players of the month for each of the league’s four divisions.
Greyhounds defenceman Harris Pangretitsch was recognized as the West Division’s recipient for January, posting a 95 per cent average in Grade 12 studies at Superior Heights. The rookie blueliner is studying Canadian and international politics, business leadership, accounting, and advanced math functions.