Max Namestnikov is back to his old self.
After going scoreless in four games to start the season, a stretch that saw him record just a lone assist, the Guelph Storm winger scored for the second straight game Saturday night as the Guelph Storm downed the Kingston Frontenacs 6-2 before a season high crowd of 4,830 at the Sleeman Centre.
Namestnikov, a 39-goal scorer last season, now has three goals and three assists in eight games.
"I had a pretty big monkey on my back and it's just nice to get a couple of goals in a couple of games and get that monkey off my back," Namestnikov said.
WIth Matt Poitras sticking in the NHL, at least for now, Namestinkov and Braeden Bowman have been playing with Jake Karabela as their centre. But Namestnikov was quick to shoot down any question that adjustment had anything to do with his slow start.
"Maybe a period or two," he said with a shrug when asked if there was an adjustment period. "It's easy to play with everyone."
Despite the six-goal outburst Saturday, it's been goaltending and team defence that has been the key to the Storm's early success. The win over Kingston sees them with a 6-2 record in the early going.
"Playoff hockey. We're starting that early," Namestnikov said.
"Guy's are buying in to play the right way," said Storm coach Chad Wiseman. "A willingness to play the right way and a little bit of pride. That starts with your leadership group."
It was a sandwich game for the Storm Saturday, with a solid first and third period sandwiching a soft second.
Guelph jumped out to a 4-0 lead, dominating the opening 20 minutes that saw Kingston not get its first shot on goal until the 13 minute mark, the second straight night the Storm has done that to an opponent.
Kingston came out much better in the second period and early in the third, making it a 4-2 game. But Namestnikov's pretty goal late in the third and Gavin Grundner's empty net goal rounded out the scoring.
Jake Karabela, Vilmer Alriksson, Charlie Paquette and Leo Serlin, on a shorthanded breakaway, had Guelph's other goals.
"It's a natural thing to do, especially in junior hockey, to maybe take your foot off the gas a little bit," Wiseman said of the second-period.
"It was a good lesson today that when you do take your foot off the gas how the momentum can swing."
Guelph plays in Oshawa on Sunday night and next Thursday and Friday play in North Bay and Sudbury. Sunday they are home to Ottawa.
Six of Guelph's next seven games are on the road.
