Hounds can't escape the Attack (8 photos added)

If Friday night was any indication, the Soo Greyhounds players could be in store for a long day at practice on Saturday.

The Hounds dropped a 2-1 decision at the hands of the Owen Sound Attack on Friday evening at Memorial Gardens, a loss which drops the locals one game under .500 at 4-5-0.

As has been the case at times this season, it was a case of a slow start plaguing the Greyhounds. The Hounds picked up a 5-on-3 man advantage just 4:13 into the game but could not beat Attack netminder Russ Brownell.

Midway through the period, the Attack took advantage of a power play opportunity as Bobby Ryan, one of the Ontario Hockey League's most lethal scorers, potted a rebound past Kyle Gajewski in the Hounds goal.

The Hounds managed to hold off the Attack throughout much of the middle frame but a Bob Sanguinetti goal with 36 second remaining in the period put the Greyhounds in a deep hole heading into the third period.

The Greyhounds opened the third period with a flurry of chances, only to be turned aside again by Brownell in the Attack goal. The Hounds broke Brownell's shutout bid when Tyler Cuthbert scored at 15:54 but it was the only offence the Hounds could generate on the night, leading to a 2-1 Attack victory.

While the loss dropped the Greyhounds under .500, the Attack improved their record to 5-2-0 with the victory.

Gajewski, the second star of the game, stopped 30 shots in the loss while Brownell stopped 26 in the victory and was named the game's third star.

One major component of his team's game that Hounds coach Craig Hartsburg was not pleased with was the power play, which was held off the scoresheet in eight chances.

"It wasn't very good," said Hartsburg. "There were times when it was actually good. I thought the forwards on it did some good things, especially Tyler Kennedy and Ryan Kitchen, then as soon as (the puck) goes to the points, the power play seems to end."

"There was things they did good on it, but if you don't get the puck on the net after the forwards do their job then it's not going to have success," Hartsburg added. "I know there's some skill involved in that and we do have the skill there but I don't see enough determination to get the puck to the net."

Hartsburg added that he will likely make a change to the second power play unit, which he was disappointed with on Friday night. He did plan to use Kitchen and Kennedy on the first unit, but will search for a new group to make up the second unit saying "it's time that some of these guys actually started to compete harder. It's all about determination and competing on the puck."

Hartsburg continued saying that, despite being a close game when glancing at the scoresheet, it wasn't so.

"I think our whole game tonight we got outworked, outbattled, out-competed and we may have only lost 2-1, but every battle (the Attack) were hungrier than our guys. We played like a light team. We weren't strong. I'm talking guys that are six-foot-five like Chris Lawrence, right down to the smallest guy.

"The puck has to be like a piece of gold and you would do anything to keep it and anything to get it, then when you get it, you make a good play to one of your teammates. It's a pretty simple game, but if you're not ready to compete every shift you won't win many hockey games unless you play another team that's not ready to compete. We weren't that far out of the game, we just have to have more determined people."

The Hounds will look for an improved effort before Sunday as they prepare to face another tough opponent in the Barrie Colts at Memorial Gardens at 7 p.m.. The Colts enter the game on the heels of a 7-1 loss in Sudbury on Friday night and hold a 7-2-0-1 record.

*** OHL ROUNDUP:

In other OHL action on Friday night:

AT ERIE: Ryan O'Marra had a goal and an assist while Sean O'Connor added three assists as Erie defeated Brampton 5-2. Josh Disher stopped 38 shots for the victory.

AT SARNIA: The Sting scored four unanswered goals, including three in the third period to come from behind and defeat Saginaw 5-4. Scott Restoule and Mark Katic each had a pair of assists in the win while Ryan McDonough, Matt Corrente, and Patrick McNeill each had a goal and an assist in the loss.

AT PLYMOUTH: John Armstrong, John Vigilante, and Ryan McGinnis each had two assist while Dan Collins had a pair of goals in a 4-2 Plymouth victory over Oshawa.

AT OTTAWA: Dan Ryder had a goal and two assists while Jordan Morrison, Jordan Staal, and Greg Stewart each had a goal and an assist in Peterborough's 6-3 win over Ottawa. Jamie Tardif and Patrick Kaleta each chipped in with a pair of assists in the win.

AT LONDON: The Knights outshot Windsor 62-24 and scored four times in the opening period along with six more times in the third en route to an 11-2 victory. Rob Schremp had three goals and three assists while Dylan Hunter had four assists. David Bolland with a goal and two assists, Adam Perry with a pair of assists, Jordan Foreman, Andrew Wilkins, and Steve Ferry with a goal and an assist each, and Sergei Kostitsyn with a goal and three helpers also had big nights for the Knights.

AT KITCHENER: Tyler Haskins, with a goal and three assists, and Justin Donati, with two goals and two assists, each had four-point nights at the St. Michael's Majors defeated Kitchener 7-5. Cory Vitarelli added a pair of goals in the victory. Evan McGrath had two goals and two assists for Kitchener.

AT KINGSTON: Evan Brophey scored with six second remaining in regulation time to lift the Belleville Bulls to a 3-2 victory over Kingston. Bobby Hughes had both Kingston goals.

AT GUELPH: Former Soo Greyhounds prospect Jordan Owens had a pair of goals and an assist as Mississauga downed Guelph 5-4. Dustin Jeffrey also had a pair of goals for the IceDogs.

AT SUDBURY: Devin DiDiomete had a pair of goals while Jonathan D'Aversa had a goal and a pair of assists in Sudbury's 7-1 victory over the Central Division-leading Barrie Colts. Ryan Hastings had three assists while Marc Staal and Keaton Turkiewicz each added a pair of assists.