Home losing streak grows as Storm fall in OT to Windsor
GUELPH – The Guelph Storm suffered their fifth consecutive loss at the Sleeman Centre in Ontario Hockey League play there Friday when they squandered a three-goal lead in the final five minutes of regulation time and eventually lost 8-7 in overtime to the Windsor Spitfires.
After giving up the first goal of the game, the Storm responded with five consecutive goals for a four-goal lead with two minutes o go in the second. The Storm remained ahead until Windsor’s late trio of goals, the Spitfires scoring those three goals in a span of 3:18 to force the extra period.
Carson Woodall scored the winner for Windsor at 3:47 of overtime.
Jett Luchanko and Vilmer Alriksson scored twice apiece for the Storm while Jake Karabela, Rylan Singh and Thomas Budnick added single goals. Brody Crane assisted on three of the goals while Karabela, Braeden Bowman, Luchanko, Zander Veccia and Charlie Paquette each had two assists and Max Namestnikov had one.
Ryan Abraham tallied twice for the Spitfires while single goals were registered by Colton Smith, Anthony Cristoforo, Jack Nesbitt, AJ Spellacy, Liam Greentree and Woodall. Greentree and Abraham each had three assists while Woodall, Nesbitt, Valentin Zhugin, Smith, Cole Davis and Cristoforo had one apiece.
The Spitfires outshot the Storm 38-35 including a 21-8 advantage after the second period. Windsor also went 4-for-10 on its power play while the hosts went 1-for-6.
Brayden Gillespie had 30 saves for the Storm while Max Donoso had 28 for Windsor.
The Storm are fifth in the Western Conference at 26-23-5-1 (W-L-OTL-SOL) while the Spitfires are 10th at 18-30-4-3.
The four teams ahead of the Storm have each clinched playoff berths. London Knights (41-12-0-3) lead and are followed by the Saginaw Spirit (40-15-0-1), Soo Greyhounds (36-16-2-1) and Kitchener Rangers (36-19-2-0).
The Storm are a point ahead of the Owen Sound Attack (25-24-5-2), five ahead of the Erie Otters (24-26-4-1), six ahead of the Flint Firebirds (24-27-3-1), 10 ahead of the Sarnia Sting (22-30-3-1) and 15 ahead of Windsor.
While the Storm are 16-10-2-0 overall on home ice this season, they’re 3-5-1-0 at home in 2024.
The Storm have 13 games to go in their regular season starting with a Saturday game against the Erie Otters at the Erie Insurance Arena. Game time is 7 p.m.
- Guelph Sports Journal