Deni Goure and Matthew Papais each tallied a three point night, leading the Owen Sound Attack to a big 5-1 win over the Erie Otters Friday night down in Erie. The victory stretched Owen Sound’s current winning streak to four games, with three of those coming against Midwest division rivals.
It was a slow start for the Attack as they struggled to get their team speed engaged, letting the Otters dictate the play. Though chasing the puck, Owen Sound was able to open the scoring, as Goure cleaned up a loose puck in front, after a nice line rush with Papais and Ethan Burroughs. The Otters were able to tie the game before the end of the first period, but Owen Sound would happily take the 1-1 score going into the intermission.
As the teams came back onto the ice for period two, it was a much different game, as the Attack began to engage their team speed, tilting the ice in their favour. The breakthrough came just four minutes into the period, as Cedrick Guindon tipped home a Servac Petrovsky shot, with the puck just trickling over the goal line. It was then Papais who buried a rebound opportunity on the power play, giving the over age forward four goals in just five games with the Attack, since coming over from Niagara. A trade that has paid early dividend for Owen Sound, as it has provided great secondary scoring.
In the Attack net, Nick Chenard provided a solid and stable presence, giving his team the chance early in the game to get their legs going, but the over age goalie came up with a huge glove save late in period two to keep the Otters from cutting into the lead. After being peppered early, Chenard had less work in the second in third period, but was always ready when called upon, finishing the night with 33 saves and earning the third star of the game.
Period three was a mix-mash of play, as the teams spent much of the first half of the period with players in the box, resulting in some choppy 5-on-5 play as guys tried to get back in a rhythm. It was just before the halfway mark of the period, when Goure chipped home his second of the night, as Papais laid a perfect saucer pass to the back door off the rush. Owen Sound was able to then put the game on cruise control for the remainder of the period, as they continues to use their team speed to force Erie into making rushed plays.
As time began to wane down, Gavin Bryant provided a great display of speed and skill, as he burst through the middle of the ice, before carving straight through the Otters defence and sliding the puck five-hole for his third goal of the year, and cementing the game for Owen Sound.
The teams will face-off for the second game of the weekend double-header tomorrow night, with puck drop at 7PM in Erie. Fans can catch the game on OHL Live or listen to 560 CFOS Bear Radio. The Attack’s next home game comes next Saturday, October 29 when they welcome the Guelph Storm for the team’s first meeting of the season. Tickets for the game can be purchase at the MacVicar and McComb Sutton Realty Attack Box Office by calling (519) 371-7452 or going online at tickets.attackhockey.com.
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