When the Soo Greyhounds return to action on Thursday night, their response is going to speak volumes.
Riding a five-game winning streak, the Greyhounds dropped a 5-2 decision to the Erie Otters on Sunday afternoon at the GFL Memorial Gardens.
It was a game that coach John Dean called disappointing because of missed opportunities throughout the contest.
“In the first five minutes, we had some opportunities to put them on their heels and we didn’t capitalize on those opportunities,” Dean said. “(Erie) played a really strong first period and took it to us pretty good, no doubt about it.”
“In the second period, it was a bit back-and-forth,” Dean added. “We gave them a lot of opportunities to score but we had seven or eight really good looks at the net where we didn’t have that killer instinct. For us and our style of play, if we’re going to have some high-risk chances against, we better make sure we capitalize on the chances we get. Tonight, we didn’t bear down on out opportunities.”
With the winning streak snapped, Dean spoke of how the team will rebound from an effort they weren’t pleased with on Sunday.
“The real test will be how we respond against Barrie,” Dean said. “That will show what kind of character we have as a group.”
A goal with 2.8 seconds to go in the second period by Erie’s Elias Cohen followed by a wraparound goal by Maxim Golod 19 seconds into the third broke open what was a 2-1 game at the time.
A goal by Alex Johnston with just over six minutes to go in regulation time cut into the Erie lead, but the Greyhounds couldn’t pull closer.
On the heels of a stretch that saw the team lose eight of ten games, three by way of a shootout, the Otters have wins in their past two outings after a win over Sudbury on Friday night prior to beating the Greyhounds.
“We challenged our group to get our game back,” Hartsburg said. “Tonight, our kids bought in and played the way they’re capable of.”
“We checked well, and we wanted to make it a harder game,” Hartsburg also said. “The last time we played them in our rink, we gave them too much easy ice and allowed their speed and skill to take over a little bit. Our D especially made it hard on their forwards. They were physical. They made them pay a price and that’s what we wanted to do.”
Golod and Danial Singer had a goal and an assist each for the Otters while Drew Hunter and Conner Lockhart also scored.
Otters netminder Dan Murphy stopped 23 shots.
“We were ready to play,” Hartsburg said. “Our gaps were good. Our forwards skated. The Sault, offensively they have talent, and we don’t quite have that skill level, but we have kids that compete and can skate too. AS long as we check well, we’re going to create offence by turning pucks over and getting odd-man opportunities off of them.”
Zack Trott had the other goal for the Greyhounds.
Overage goaltender Bailey Brkin stopped 26 shots.
With the teams battling for positioning in the OHL’s Western Conference, Sunday’s win moves the Otters two points ahead of the Greyhounds.
The Otters improve to 13-11-2-6 while the Greyhounds fall to 15-16-2-0.
With the home portion of their pre-Christmas schedule complete, the Greyhounds will head out on the road during the week for a pair of games, beginning Thursday night against the Barrie Colts.
The team will then face the Kitchener Rangers at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on Friday night.
In other action around the OHL on Sunday, in Mississauga, Aidan Prueter had two goals and an assist as the Mississauga Steelheads beat the Kingston Frontenacs 5-2. Duncan Penman added a pair of goals for the Steelheads while Calvin Martin assisted on three goals.
In North Bay, three unanswered goals in the third period lifted the Owen Sound Attack to a 3-1 win over the North Bay Battalion. Mack Guzda made 36 saves for the Attack.
In Windsor, Tyler Angle had two goals and an assist as the Windsor Spitfires beat the London Knights 6-3. Egor Afanasyev had a goal and two assists for Windsor. Goaltender Xavier Medina made 39 saves for the Spitfires. Ryan Merkley had a goal and two assists for London.
Sunday’s other game between the Oshawa Generals and Guelph Storm in Oshawa was a 6:05 p.m. start and not complete at the time of writing.
Sunday’s game between the Ottawa 67’s and Niagara IceDogs was postponed.
The league announced the postponement of both of Niagara’s weekend games after an injury to IceDogs goaltender Tucker Tynan on Thursday night.
Tynan was cut by the skate of a London Knights player after a collision in his crease.
He was taken to hospital, where he underwent surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.