Hurricanes win key game in Kitchener

from: http://www.guelphhurricanes.com

TEAM EFFORT BEATS DUTCHMEN

The Guelph Hurricanes proved that old adage last night in Kitchener…”Play as a team. Win as a team.” Already missing 2 of their top defensemen Cayle Creen(out for the season-knee injury) and Zach Dion (suspension) the Canes lost Daniel Cotroneo when he left the game in the 1st period. The Canes eventhough they were outshooting the Dutchmen fell behind 2-0 before a Wade Pfeffer(2) point shot found the net to cut the lead in half.

In the break Coach MacEachern and his associates reminded the team of the game plan and how important this game was. They responded by scoring the next 4 goals. The line of Mike Iacocca, Martin Kudla and Jake Weidner continued to shine offensively. Iaccoca(18), Weidner(8) and Kudla(17 – empty net) all scored. Canes leading scoreer Tyson Theaker added his 18th while Blair Goss, Cam Jude, Iacocca, Kudla, Connor Ste. Marie and Nic MacEachern(2) contributed assists.

After backing up Brandon Foote on the Storm’s northern trip Drew Pegrum returned to shut down the Dutchmen after the 1st period to record the win. Pegrum made his best save of the night late in the 3rd with the score 3-2 and the Dutchmen pressing. Theaker scored right after that to put the game away. In all he stopped 26 shots many of the difficult variety.

Final Score Guelph 5, Kitchener 2

The Hurricanes last home game of the regular season is Thursday, February 25 at the Sleeman Centre when the Cambridge WinterHawks are the visitors. Game time is 7:30 p.m.

The Play-offs will either Wednesday(Waterloo) or Thursday(Brantford) depending on the final standings.

Tough weekend ahead for Hurricanes

The Guelph Hurricanes (11-19-4 26 pts.) have a tough weekend ahead as they first travel to Waterloo to take on the 2nd Place (27-5-0 54 pts.) Siskins Friday night.

Siskins Wil Sibley has beaten Guelph 3 times

The Siskins have been winning with top notch goaltending and tough checking. They have a balanced  attack. In the previous 4 tilts, Waterloo has come out on top, 5-4, 5-3, 8-0 and 4-2. Three key factors that Guelph needs to do to win are:

1. Shoot !(early and often) The Canes have averaged 27.75 shots per game vs. Waterloo.  Waterloo’s goaltenders have a save % of .923. This translates into 2 goals against. So if they want to increase their goals, they need to increase the number of shots.

2. Stay out of the penalty box! Waterloo has converted 18.09% of their Powerplays (6th in GOJHL).

3. Get Solid goaltending! Attention Chris McDougall… pretend we are playing Stratford.

After battling with the Siskins, Guelph travels to the Bell City to take on the take on the 1st Place Brantford Golden Eagles (28-4-3 59 pts.) on Saturday night.

McQuade leads the GOJHL scoring with 103 pts.

 Two Brantford players that have killed the Canes this season are goaltender Daryl Borden (26-4 2.51 GAA) and Josh McQuade, who leads the league in scoring with 103 pts. (40 goals and 63 assists)

The Golden Eagles sport the GOJHL’s leading Penalty Kill with 89.95% , including 20 shorthanded goals.

Two keys to victory in this game are:

1. Hit them, hit them and then hit them again. This is a run-and-gun finese team that the Hurricanes can upset if they keep laying the body on them.

2. Neutralize Josh McQuade. McQuade has scored 7 goals and 2 assists in 3 games vs. Guelph, including 2 hat tricks. How do they do that….read point #1. Oh and when they hit them, do it cleanly, because Brantford also has the #4 PowerPlay in the GOJHL converting on 23.66% of  them.

One more key factor in both these games.

If Guelph remains in 7th or 8th in the standings at the end of the regular season, it is likely that they will either face Brantford or Waterloo in the first round of the playoffs.

3 game weekend only nets Hurricanes one point

Playing well for part of the game and coming up short in the end seems to be the trend following the Guelph Hurricanes these days.

Thursday night they faced a very good Waterloo Siskins ( 19-5-0 38 pts.) team at home and found themselves down 3-0 after the first period. Then they clawed their way back to outscore the Siskins 2-1 in the 2nd and 3rd period, eventually losing the game 4-2.

Saturday night they travelled to Cambridge (14-7-2 30 pts.) to take on the Winter Hawks in a game where they faced 52 shots, including 31 in the 2nd period. Cambridge scored 5 goals in that period and would go on to win the game 6-4.

Then the Canes visited Elmira (11-11-3 25 pts.) Sunday night and they finally avoided the one period let down and came away with a single point in a 3-2 shootout loss.

That point will be critical as teams jockey for playoff position. Currently Guelph sits 8th in the MidWestern Division and would face the top seeded Brantford Golden Eagles in the first round of the playoffs.

*Other GOJHL Notes:

The Stratford Cullitons snapped their 11 game losing streak Sunday afternoon with a 6-5 win over the Listowel Cyclones.

GOJHL’s leading scorer is Josh McQuade (Brantford Golden Eagles) is averaging 3 points per game (81 pts. in 27 games) and is on a pace to score 153 pts. this season.

Next home game for the Canes is Thursday December 3 when they face Josh McQuade and the 1st place Brantford Golden Eagles. Game time at the Sleeman Center is 7:45 p.m.

Stratford unlucky in upset loss to Guelph

Mike McFarlane congratulates Chris McDougall

Chris McDougall and the Hurricanes like playing in Allman Arena. (Home of the Stratford Cullitons)

Why?

Because for the second time in a row, they went into Stratford, Chris McDougall stood on his head and they stole the victory.

Friday night, despite being outshot 39-17, Chris McDougall and the Hurricanes defeated the hometown Cullitons 4-1.

Guelph opened up the scoring in the first on an unassisted goal by Brandon Anselmini.  Hurricanes leading scorer Dan Mohle made it 2-0 Guelph. Luca Penzo got the assist.

After a scoreless second period, Craig Dalrymple scored 15 seconds into the 3rd to pull the Cullitons with in one. (assist went to Cohen Adair). The game was close until Martin Kudla made it 3-1 Guelph when he scored a powerplay goal at 16:05 (assist went to Captain Mike McFarlane).

In the late stages of the game (1:34 left) with Stratford looking to pull it within one, the Hurricanes received a penalty.

Then with 59 seconds left Stratford pulled their goalie to create a 6-4, Mike Iacocca sealed the victory with an empty netter to make it 4-1 (Mike McFarlane and Tyson Theaker received assists).

The win put the moved the Hurricanes back into 7th place with 16 pts. (7-13-2). One point over the 8th place Kitchener Dutchmen.

Remember, tomorrow night is Guaranteed Win Night against the Dutchmen.

Which means that anyone who purchase a ticket on game night will receive a free ticket to another Hurricanes home game if they don’t defeat the Dutchmen.

Game time is 7:30 sharp.

 

 

Hurricanes dominate play, but still lose to Cyclones

From http://www.guelphhurricanes.com

OUR BOYS DESERVED TO WIN

That was the quote General Manager Matt Mullin used after watching his Canes go down 3-2 to the never say quit Listowel Cyclones.

The fast paced game was a thriller with many excellent hits but few penalties. Guelph controlled the game and had many excellent chances to score but bad bounces, goal posts and the fantastic play of Cyclones goalie Drew Pegrum held the Canes off the scoresheet for most of the game.

The Canes went into the 3rd up 2-1 on goals by Cam Jude(3rd) and Ken Rolph(9th) Both goals were set up by Dan Mohle. Other assists went to Connor Ste. Marie and Tyson Theaker. When a team goes into Listowel they know that the Cyclones don’t quit and they seem to be most dangerous in the 3rd. For the second game in a row the Canes watched a couple of bounces go against them in the third and the Cycs as they usually do capitalized and stole a 3-2 win.

Coach MacEachern was obviously upset that his club lost another 3rd period lead but he was able to take away some positives as well. He noted he all 4 lines were solid throughout the game. The line of Mohle, Theaker and Rolph dominated every time they were on the ice.

Due to illness of defensmen Zach Dion and Peter Soligo, Conner Ste Marie played a regular shift on defense and had a stellar performance. Chris MacDougall had another solid goal and could not be faulted for any of the goals.

He was also pleased with the play of newly signed forward Taylor Lakasik. Lakasik is a draft pick of the Owen Sound Attack and recently was playing with the Orangeville Crushers of the OPJHL.

Next game for the Canes is next Thursday when they travel to Barntford to face the formidable Golden Eagles and scoring wizard Josh McQuade.

Next home game is Saturday, November 7th when the Waterloo Siskins are the visitors. Game time at the Sleeman Center is 7:30 p.m.

Hurricanes lose, but never gave up!!!

Winston Churchill would be proud of the Guelph Hurricanes.  At least how they played in the 3rd period.

Martin Kudla drives to the net

The Guelph Hurricanes played their 3rd game in 3 nights tonight against the Listowel Cyclones and for 2 periods it showed.

The edge in the first period would have to go to the Cyclones, who outshot the Hurricanes 12-7 in the period and went into the intermission with a 2-1 lead.

Although Guelph outshot the Cyclones in the second period 12-9, Listowel won most of the battles and extended their lead to 5-1.

But as Winston Churchill said in his famous speech to the Oxford University graduation class, “Never, Never, Never Give Up” and the Hurricanes didn’t.

I’m not sure what Coach Jim McEachern said during the 2nd intermission, but the Hurricanes came out flying in the 3rd, and scored a Powerplay goal 31 seconds into the period.

They poured it on, dominating the 3rd period scoring twice more and pulled to within one.

With time winding down, Coach McEachern pulled his goalie Trevor McGee, in order to get another attacker. Shortly afterward with the Hurricanes pressing, Eric Deckers collected his 2nd goal and 5th point by scoring into the empty net with 20.9 seconds remaining.

Offensive stars for the Hurricanes were: #7 Dan Mohle with 4 points (2 goals – 2 assists) (Dan now sits 2nd in Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League scoring with 23 points),  #24 Tyson Theaker with 3 points (1 goal – 2 assists) , and #6 Luca Penzo with 3 points (3 assists).

The Hurricanes schedule takes them on the road for the next 2 games: Oct. 10 @ St. Catharines, Oct. 11 @ Elmira, before they return to the Sleeman Centre on Oct. 17th where they continue their rivalry with the Kitchener Dutchmen. Game time is 7:30 pm.