Third-period goal gives Storm third consecutive win

ST. CATHARINES – This time the Guelph Storm only needed one goal in the third period to post their third consecutive victory in Ontario Hockey League preseason play.

A goal by Matthew Poitras at 11:50 of the third gave the Storm a 2-1 triumph over the Niagara IceDogs Saturday night at the Meridian Centre.

Guelph Storm 2 Niagara 1

The victory lifted the Storm’s preseason record to 3-1-0-0 with the winning goals in all three coming in the third period.

After a scoreless first period, Braeden Bowman opened the scoring for the Storm 32 seconds into the second. Jake Karabela and Poitras assisted on the goal.

Pano Fimis drew Niagara even 13 minutes later.

Charlie Paquette assisted on the Storm’s winning goal.

The Storm outshot Niagara 43-35 including an 18-9 advantage in the third. Through the four preseason games, the locals have outshot their opponents 60-24 in third periods.

Guelph won 38 of the 69 faceoffs in Saturday’s match while neither team’s power-play clicked as the Storm was scoreless on seven and Niagara was held off the scoresheet on six.

Dixon Grimes played the complete game in net for the Storm, the first time this preseason a goalie has gone the whole game. He had 34 saves.

The Storm have two games against the Mississauga Steelheads (1-1-0-1) left on their preseason schedule. They’ve already played twice with the teams splitting the games, Mississauga winning 3-1 at the Sleeman Centre Sept. 4 and the Storm posting a 7-6 triumph at Mississauga’s Paramount Fine Foods Centre Sept. 19.

Guelph and Mississauga are to meet Thursday at 7 p.m. in Mississauga and Friday at 7:30 p.m. in Guelph.

The Storm are to open their regular season with a home-and-home series with the Kitchener Rangers (2-0-0-1 in the preseason). They’re to play Oct. 8 at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium starting at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 9 at the Sleeman Centre beginning at 7 p.m.

• Guelph Sports Journal