Another strong goaltending performance kept the Owen Sound Attack around until they found a way to win.
Carter George made 34 saves and was quietly magnificent, and Servac Petrovsky was the overtime hero as the Attack beat the Guelph Storm 3-2 in Ontario Hockey League action Friday night at the Sleeman Centre.
The Attack (14-11-2) extended their winning streak on the road to six, and point-streak away from the Bayshore to nine. They haven’t lost a road game in regulation since Oct. 20.
Ethan Burroughs and James Petrovski also scored for Owen Sound. Braeden Bowman and Gavin Grundner had the goals for Guelph (16-10-1-1).
George and Brayden Gillespie were locked in a goaltending battle all night. The game was scoreless after the first, and then Bowman gave Guelph a 1-0 lead with a well-placed shot off a left-wing rush 4:38 into the second.
The Attack tied it late in the period. Burroughs deflected a Petrovsky shot past Gillespie to give Owen Sound a power play goal with 22 seconds to go in the frame.
Petrovski gave Owen Sound its first lead of the game 5:25 into the third, scoring just after a power play expired. The third-year defenceman showed some patience and poise with the puck on the left side of the offensive zone, waiting until a shooting lane opened up and then putting a seeing eye shot on net and past Gillespie’s glove. 2-1 Attack.
Guelph tied it six minutes later. Grundner deflected an Adam Shillinglaw point shot past George.
And then the Storm really took it to the Attack over the back half of the third period. George was stellar. He calmly controlled the bottom half of the net, picked up shots through traffic and showed off his strong catching hand on occasion
Guelph actually had the first opportunity to win it in overtime. Sam Sedley turned the puck over in neutral zone and the Storm broke up ice on a 2-on-1. A pass came down low near the crease area and George made a pad save.
Gillespie denied Burroughs on a breakaway seconds after.
And then it was Petrovsky. He held the puck, held the puck and held the puck. Eventually, he made his way into the high slot and let a wrist shot go that found its way into the Guelph net at 1:37 of overtime.
George made 34 saves in the win, while Gillespie stopped 30 taking the loss. The Storm outshot the Attack 36-33 while going 0 for 2 on the power play; Owen Sound finished 1 for 2.
Saturday, the Attack host the Sarnia Sting in the annual Toys for Tots game at the Bayshore.
BARLOW LIKELY OUT UNTIL AFTER CHRISTMAS
Attack captain Colby Barlow missed his 10th straight game Friday as he continues to work his way back from a back injury.
Owen Sound interim head coach Darren Rumble provided an update to his status Friday, saying he’s been undergoing treatment in Toronto and “he’s getting better.”
He says Barlow could potentially start skating as early as next week, but “it might be smarter to wait until after the break” to try to get him back in the lineup.
“Think more big picture rather than push him,” Rumble says. “But, we’re certainly looking forward to getting him back at some point.”
PETROVSKY TO DEPART FOR WORLD JUNIORS AFTER WEEKEND
Servac Petrovsky is on the preliminary roster for Slovakia at the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship in Sweden, and he’ll be leaving the Attack to join his countrymen on Sunday. That leaves Saturday’s game against Sarnia as the Minnesota Wild prospect’s last with the Attack for the next several weeks, until he completes his latest stint with Slovakia’s junior team.
