Attack Can’t Cool Off Sting in 4-1 Loss
The Owen Sound Attack headed to Sarnia on Friday night hoping to cool off the Sting, but despite a solid effort from the Bears, the Sting were able to keep rolling defeating the Attack 4-1. James Petrovski had the Attacks lone goal on the night, while Corbin Votary was solid in goal stopping 29 of 32 shots.
Early on, both teams struggled to find flow to their games, but an Attack power play four minutes in allowed both teams to settle in and start to find more tape to tape passes. It was the Sting that found the net first when Ty Voit was able to recover his shot off an Attack defender and slip the puck over Votary to make it 1-0. About four minutes later, James Petrovski threw the puck to the net, on what appeared to be an innocent shot, but it eluded Ben Gaudreau to even the score up at 1. The Attack had a late period power play but were unable to convert, ending the first knotted at 1.
The second period saw some early four on four play, that resulted in no goals for either side. Unfortunately it was Sarnia that was able to apply sustained pressure throughout the period forcing Corbin Votary to make several big saves. The Sting tallied the only goal of the period when Easton Wainwright was able to get one by Votary to make it 2-1. With just over six minutes to play in the period, rookie forward Tomislav Brennan was on the receiving end of a big hit by Sting defenceman Nolan Dillingham and was injured on the play. Play was delayed for several minutes, while medical staff tended to and took the Attack player off the ice on a stretcher for further medical attention. Brennan appeared to be speaking with his teammates on his way off the ice. When play continued the Attack continued to handle the Sting pressure and create a few opportunities of their own, however were unable to solve Gaudreau and the second period ended with the Sting leading 2-1.
After a busy first two periods, the third frame seemed to slow down a bit with both teams creating opportunities, but neither team able to convert until Marcus Limpart-Lantz converted on a loose puck in the crease to double the Sting lead at 3-1 just before the mid-period break. Despite a solid effort, the Attack were unable to cut into the Sarnia lead. The Sting added an empty net marker with two and a half minutes to go to make it 4-1.
The Attack will continue their three games in three days road trip to finish the regular season tomorrow night against the Flint Firebirds and Sunday against the Saginaw Spirit. Reminder to Attack fans that these games will not be carried on Rogers Grey County Channel 53, but can be caught on the radio on 560 CFOS Bear Radio or streamed through OHL Live.
Playoff Picture
Elsewhere in the league the Guelph Storm defeated the Erie Otters 3-0, while Flint came from behind to beat the Kitchener Rangers in overtime 6-5, this combined with the Attack loss has made the Bears playoff picture a little clearer. Heading into the final two games the Attack can now finish in either 6th, 7th or 8th place in the Western Conference and draw either the Windsor Spitfires, the London Knights or the Sarnia Sting in the Western Conference Quarter Finals. Playoff tickets are on sale at the MacVicar and McComb Sutton Realty Attack Box office online at tickets.attackhockey.com.
