It was a chance for Sault Ste. Marie to get a taste of professional hockey, with some familiar faces mixed in.
With a number of former Soo Greyhounds in tow, the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes and Buffalo Sabres played an exhibition game in front of an announced crowd of just under 4,000 at the Essar Centre.
Jeff Skinner’s shootout goal gave the Hurricanes a 3-2 victory over the Sabres after Buffalo erased a 2-0 Carolina lead to force overtime.
Both teams rosters featured players with ties to the area, specifically former members of the Ontario Hockey League’s Soo Greyhounds.
Sergey Tolchinsky suited up for Carolina while the Sabres roster featured four former Greyhounds, including goaltender Robin Lehner and forwards Daniel Catenacci, Jean Dupuy and Justin Bailey. Bailey had the game-tying goal for the Sabres.
“It was a nice play by Bails and Evander (Kane) on the two-on-one t score that shorthanded goal and get us the tie,” Sabres Coach Dan Bylsma said.
Bylsma said Bailey’s effort was similar to much of the team on the night, struggling out of the gate before picking his effort up in the second period.
“He got the opportunity on the penalty kill there and came up big with the shorthanded goal,” Bylsma said.
“He’s played well in his exhibition games,” Bylsma said of Dupuy. “He played pretty well. He showed his speed and he showed his physicality at times. He really has to continue to try to do that to stick us.”
Catenacci didn’t finish the game due to injury and was limping following the game. Bylsma said the former Greyhounds forward left the game as a precaution.
As for Carolina forward Sergey Tolchinsky, the Russian-born forward was held off the scoresheet but received a big cheer when announced as part of the Hurricanes starting lineup.
“Sergey has been good,” Carolina Coach Bill Peters said. “He continues to make strides, He generates offense and has unbelievable upside. He’s got to learn to play without the puck and use his teammates.”
Roland McKeown and Elias Lindholm scored in regulation time for the Hurricanes while goaltender Eddie Lack made 20 saves and stopped all three shooters in the shootout.
For Peters, the game was an opportunity to get some prospects some added ice time as the NHL regular season approaches.
“Lots of kids got valuable ice time,” Peters said. “They’ll be playing elsewhere but that’s what you want to do in the pre-season.”
Kane had the other Buffalo goal in regulation time. Goaltender Linus Ullmark made 28 saves for the Sabres.
“We came out flat and they took it to us in the first period pretty hard,” Bylsma said. “I liked the way we came out in the second period right from the first shift. Derek Grant and Brian Gionta had about for hits in that first shift and that’s how we needed to play.”
In addition to Catenacci, veteran forward Ryan O’Reilly left the game after one period due to injury.
“Both players were precautionary,” Bylsma said. “(O’Reilly) tweaked a muscle and we weren’t going to push it any further. He came out to give it a try but we didn’t want to take any chances.”
O’Reilly was playing in his first exhibition game after competing with Team Canada at the recently-completed World Cup of Hockey in Toronto.
Both teams conclude the pre-season on Friday night. Carolina is at home to face the Washington Capitals while Buffalo is in Ottawa to take on the Senators.