Guelph Storm complete 2023 with OT loss to lowly IceDogs
ST. CATHARINES – The Guelph Storm wrapped up the 2023 portion of their Ontario Hockey League season with a 6-5 loss in overtime to the Niagara IceDogs Sunday night at the Meridian Centre.
Andrew Wycisk’s goal 16 seconds into overtime with about three and a half hours remaining in 2023 gave the win to the IceDogs, owners of the lowest winning percentage record in the league this season.
Bright spot in the game for the Storm was the second period when they scored all four goals in the period to turn a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 lead. However, Niagara responded with three straight in the third to go ahead again, but the Storm’s Max Namestnikov scored on a power play with 1:55 to go to force the overtime.
Gavin Grundner, Jett Luchanko, Jake Karabela and Braeden Bowman scored Guelph’s second-period goals. Bowman also had two assists in the game while Michael Buchinger, Luchanko, Parker Snelgrove, Ryan McGuire, Hunter McKenzie, Wil McFadden and Vilmer Alriksson had one apiece.
Kevin He and Ethan Czata tallied twice apiece for Niagara while single goals were netted by Daniil Sobolev and Wycisk. Sobolev, Mike Levin and Ryan Roobroeck each had two assists while Ryan Vannetten, Brody Crane, Mathieu Paris and Andrew Vermeulen collected one apiece.
Niagara outshot the Storm 34-33 thanks to a 21-9 advantage in shots after the second period. The Storm went 2-for-6 on their power play and held Niagara scoreless on its lone power play.
Damian Slavik had 28 saves for Guelph and Owen Flores had 33 for Niagara.
The loss put an end to a five-game win streak for the Storm and leaves them at 21-12-2-1 while the win was the first in four games for Niagara and leaves the IceDogs at 9-21-4-1, a .329 winning percentage. The Storm’s winning percentage is .625.
The Storm are to host the Soo Greyhounds (23-10-2-1) Friday at 7:30 p.m. at the Sleeman Centre to open the 2024 portion of their season. It’s also the first game of a three-in-three weekend as they’re to play the Owen Sound Attack (16-15-2-1) at Owen Sound’s Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre Saturday at 7 p.m. and host the Sarnia Sting (13-21-1-0) Sunday at 4 p.m. at the Sleeman Centre.
- Guelph Sports Journal