It’s a perfect 2-0 start to the 2022-23 season for the Owen Sound Attack, who claimed a 4-3 victory in their home opener Saturday night over division rival Kitchener Rangers.
The win at the Bayshore followed a big Friday night season opening win over the London Knights. In both contests the Attack trailed early, but had strong second periods to lead the comeback charge.
On Saturday night, it was a pair of Rangers’ goals approximately 1:30 apart, that had the Bears in a hole just over eight minutes into the action. The deficit seemed to have woken the Attack the up, as they began to apply pressure on the Rangers in the offensive zone, creating some quality scoring chances. The break through came, with under six minutes left in the period, as Ethan Burroughs made a deft little deflection right in front of Rangers goalie Jackson Parsons. Burroughs was able to find a hole through Parson’s, as he deflected a Kaleb Lawrence shot.
Lawrence, who was a 7th round selection by the Los Angeles Kings this past summer, was solid in his first full game action back at the Bayshore after nearly two years off. The big Attack centre was engaged all night, and would pick up a second assist on the night in the third period, when he setup Sam Sedley.
The Burroughs goal not only cut the deficit in half, but gave the Attack extra momentum. However, the home Bears were unable to beat Parson’s again before the period’s end, as the teams went to the locker rooms with the Rangers holding a 2-1 lead.
It looked as though it was going to be the Jackson Parson’s show throughout the second period, as the Rangers goaltender stood tall, keeping the Attack off the scoreboard. To their credit the visitors applied a strong forecheck on the Attack defence, making it difficult for Owen Sound to push the puck up the ice. The break through came, while on a power play, as Servac Petrovsky found Cedrick Guindon back door for the wide open one-timer to even the game at 2-2.
The late period power play goal put life into the Attack as the Lawrence-Sedley connection took just 59 seconds into period three, giving the Attack their first lead of the night.
Hockey can be a game of bounces, and both teams were favoured with a generous bounce around the midway mark of the third. First it was Adam Zidlicky of the Rangers banging home a loose puck in front, after the rebound hit Petrovsky’s skate, deflecting back into the crease area. Though the bad break allowed the Rangers to pull even, it was just three minutes later, when the Attack would cash in on their own fortunate bounce, as Deni Goure’s shot was originally saved by Parson’s, but would rebound back into the Rangers’ from one of Kitchener’s defensemen.
After only facing 20 shots in London on Friday night, Attack goalie Nick Chenard was taxed with a heavier workload Saturday, as he turned away 36 of 39 shots, including a highlight reel save with just second left on the clock to earn his team the 4-3 victory.
Owen Sound returns to action next Friday, when they welcome the Hamilton Bulldogs for a rare Friday night showdown at the Bayshore.
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