Greyhounds open exhibition action with passing grade

The games have a little more meaning for the Soo Greyhounds after spending much of the week in the cozy confines of their home rink.

The Greyhounds opened Ontario Hockey League exhibition action on Saturday night in Sudbury, facing a Wolves team that went with a veteran group to start the game, looking to set a tone.

It’s early but for Greyhounds coach John Dean, coming away from the Sudbury Arena with a 7-2 victory is a positive for the second-year bench boss.

“It was a really big test for our guys right off the bat,” Dean said. “(Sudbury) started three 20-year-olds and we had a couple of guys playing their first game out there to start the game. Right off the hop, guys got thrown into the fire and we responded extremely well.”

“Confidence is key,” Dean also said. “Whether it’s exhibition or regular season, when you get used to winning, it keeps happening.”

Joe Carroll paced the Greyhounds with a pair of goals in the victory.

“We might see a resurgence of Joe here confidence-wise,” Dean said. “He had a really good summer. He’s ready to have a good year and ready to break out if he can.”

Goaltender Christian Propp got the start for the Greyhounds and made 25 saves.

“Christian really settled us down, especially in the first period,” Dean said. “We traded chances a little bit at the beginning and Christian was great.”

Dean credited Propp’s ability to play the puck, calling it “critical for our system.”

“Christian played the puck extremely well,” Dean added.

Tanner Dickinson and Kalvyn Watson also scored for the Greyhounds and were among some of the young players that earned praise from Dean following the game.

“Tanner Dickinson and Kalvyn Watson, they controlled the puck really well and they played with confidence,” Dean said. “They made plays, which was really exciting.”

Dean also credited some of the young members of the Greyhounds blueline in the contest.

“Matthew Halushak, as the game went on, he really improved,” Dean said. “You could see the confidence. The same thing with Jacob Holmes. What was really key was how our young guys were trying to make plays, use the middle of the ice and not just get rid of pucks.”

Tye Kartye had a goal and an assist for the Greyhounds while Brett Jacklin assisted on a pair of goals.

Holmes and Jacob LeGuerrier also scored for the Greyhounds.

MacAuley Carson and Owen Gilhula scored for Sudbury.

Mitchell Weeks got the start for the Wolves and stopped 15 of 18 shots in just under 36 minutes of work. David Bowen entered the game and stopped 11 of 15 shots the rest of the way.

Next action for the Greyhounds is an exhibition game in Chatham, Ont. on Sept. 12 against the Sarnia Sting.

The Greyhounds lone home exhibition game is set for Sept. 15 at the GFL Memorial Gardens against Sudbury. Puck drop is set for 2:07 p.m.

With NHL camps approaching, players who will be attending will begin to depart for pro camps during the week.

The group includes LeGuerrier, a draft pick of the Montreal Canadians, as well as free agent invites Cullen McLean and Cole MacKay, who are both joining the Vegas Golden Knights camp, and Carroll, who is off to camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

In other action around the OHL on Saturday, at the exhibition showcase in Kitchener, the Peterborough Petes scored three unanswered goals to beat the North Bay Battalion 3-2. Cameron Butler scored his third goal of the pre-season for the Petes.

The other game at the exhibition showcase saw Nicholas Porco score twice and set up another goal as the Saginaw Spirit beat the Kitchener Rangers 7-2. Mason Millman assisted on three goals for Saginaw.

In Erie, Brendan Sellan had a goal and two assists as the Erie Otters beat the Hamilton Bulldogs 8-0. Daniel Murphy made 18 saves for the Otters to pick up the shutout.

In Mississauga, the Mississauga Steelheads scored six unanswered goals to beat the Oshawa Generals 7-2. Aidan Prueter had a pair of goals for Mississauga.

In Fort Erie, Egor Afanasyev had a pair of goals as the Windsor Spitfires beat the Niagara IceDogs 6-4. Jonah DeSimone had a goal and two assists for Niagara.

In Sarnia, goaltender Ethan Langevin made 35 saves as the Sarnia Sting beat the London Knights 5-3. Paul Cotter had two goals and an assist for the Knights.

In Guelph, a pair of goals in the third period were the difference as the Flint Firebirds beat the Guelph Storm 7-5. Brennan Othmann and Riley McCourt had two goals each for the Firebirds.