A big third period has put the Soo Greyhounds in the drivers’ seat against the Saginaw Spirit.
Goals by Boris Katchouk and Hayden Verbeek 13 seconds apart led to a five-goal outburst and a 7-3 Greyhounds win to give the Ontario Hockey League’s top regular season team a 3-0 lead over the Spirit heading into game four on Wednesday night.
“That was huge,” Katchouk said. “That created the momentum swing for us and we never let off the gas pedal.”
“If you’re going to go deep in the playoffs, you have to have strong third periods, it’s got to be your best period,” said Greyhounds forward Taylor Raddysh, who had two goals and an assist in the game.
The goals lifted a Greyhound team that struggled in the early stages of the period.
“Early in the third, we weren’t very good, but we seemed to get ourselves going,” said Greyhounds Coach Drew Bannister. “Matty (Villalta) made a couple of really big saves early in the third and then we started to pick up the pace of play.”
Bannister went on to say he felt the two quick goals “took the wind out of their sails.”
The quick goals by the Greyhounds deflated a Spirit team that had kept with the Greyhounds throughout the game until that point.
“We played really well until their third goal and we came unwound there,” Spirit Coach Troy Smith said on the Spirit television broadcast. “We have to have good bounce-back shifts. We didn’t and they scored two quick goals there.”
Katchouk finished the night with a pair of goals while Jack Kopacka and Rasmus Sandin also scored for the Greyhounds. Morgan Frost, Conor Timmins, and Tim Gettinger set up two goals each. In total, 14 Greyhounds players had points in the game.
Villalta made 23 saves for the Greyhounds.
The Greyhounds finished the night with a pair of power play goals in four opportunities, giving the team six power play goals in the last two games of the series.
“We’re starting to find out chemistry now,” Raddysh said. “Both units are working and when you out-compete their penalty kill, good things happen and right now that’s working for us.”
Max Grondin had a goal and an assist for the Spirit. Nicholas Porco and Mason Kohn also scored for Saginaw.
Overage goaltender Evan Cormier stopped 29 shots.
Bannister wasn’t as pleased with the Greyhounds opening two periods but credited the Spirit.
“They played well and did what we expected them too,” Bannister said, adding that he felt the Greyhounds were a little “out of sync” at times through 40 minutes.
The Greyhounds will look to seal the series win in game four on Wednesday night. Puck drop at the Dow Event Center is set for 7:05 p.m.
In other action around the league on Monday night, in London, Alan Lyszczarczyk scored 33 seconds into overtime to give the Owen Sound Attack a 4-3 win over the London Knights. Brett McKenzie had two goals and two assists for the Attack.
In Barrie, Aaron Luchuk had a goal and three assists as the Barrie Colts beat the Mississauga Steelheads 5-3. Lucas Chiodo added two goals and an assist while Dmitry Sokolov chipped in with a goal and two assists for the Colts.
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Playoff Notebook
Around the league, in other Western Conference playoff action, the Kitchener Rangers (second seed) hold a 2-0 lead on the Guelph Storm (seventh seed) heading into game three Tuesday night in Guelph.
In a battle of West Division teams, the Sarnia Sting (third seed) and the Windsor Spitfires (sixth seed) are tied at one heading to Windsor for game three Tuesday night.
The Owen Sound Attack (fourth seed) hold a 3-0 series lead on the London Knights. Game four is Thursday night in London.
In the Eastern Conference, the top-seeded Hamilton Bulldogs and the eighth-seeded Ottawa 67’s are tied at one game apiece heading into game three Tuesday night in Ottawa.
The Barrie Colts (second seed) and Mississauga Steelheads (seventh seed) are tied at one. Game three is Tuesday night in Mississauga.
The Kingston Frontenacs (third seed) and the North Bay Battalion (sixth seed) will take to the ice in game three on Tuesday night in North Bay tied at one game apiece.
The fourth-seeded Niagara IceDogs lead the Oshawa Generals (fifth seed) by a 2-0 margin. Game three is Tuesday night in Oshawa.