The Owen Sound Attack let an early three-goal lead slip in Guelph, but still managed to pick up at least a point for the 16th time in the past 17 games.
Danny Zhilkin scored 37 seconds into overtime to lift the Storm to a 6-5 overtime win over the Attack in Ontario Hockey League action Friday night at the Sleeman Centre in Guelph.
Cooper Walker had a hat trick to pace Guelph’s offence, which ended a four-game losing streak. Jake Karabela and Sasha Pastujov also had goals for the Storm.
Nicholas Porco, Cedrick Guindon, Ethan Burroughs, William Portokalis and Servac Petrovsky scored for the Attack, all as part of a five-goal outburst in the first period. The Attack led 5-2 after the opening 20 minutes of play at the Sleeman Centre and chased Storm starting netminder Owen Bennett, who allowed six goals on 11 shots.
Jacob Oster took over for Guelph in net to start the second period, and stopped all 13 shots he faced in relief.
Karabela and Walker had second period goals for the Storm to cut the Attack lead to 5-4 heading into the third.
And then at 8:30 of the final frame, Walker completed his hat trick on a one-time blast on a delayed penalty, scoring Guelph’s third unanswered goal to tie the game 5-5.
Votary made 17 saves in the third in the Attack net, as the Storm dominated the play and put constant pressure towards the Owen Sound net. Guelph outshot Owen Sound 18-4 in the third period.
The Attack (31-24-5-3) still officially clinched a playoff berth for the 11th straight season despite the overtime loss, as the Hamilton Bulldogs blanked the Erie Otters 3-0.
Guelph (30-23-5-2) moved within three points of Owen Sound for fifth in the OHL’s western conference with the win, while still holding three games in hand.
Owen Sound finished with an 8-3-1-0 record against Guelph in the 12-game season series between the two Midwest Division foes.
Saturday night, the Attack host the Windsor Spitfires (40-16-3-3) at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Windsor enters the affair riding a nine-game winning streak.
