A bad goal at one end and a waved off goal at the other end were the story of the game Friday night at the Sleeman Centre.
The Guelph Storm had the tying goal waved off late in the third period on a suspect goaltender interference call and Storm goalie Liam Herbst had one put past him from behind the net in a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa 67’s.
Storm coach Jarrod Skalde was clearly upset by both.
The waved off goal came with just over three minutes left in the game. Ryan Merkley weaved his magic with the puck before rifling home a wrist shot, but the referee ruled Luke Burghardt had interfered with Ottawa goaltender Leo Lazarev.
Replays show Lazarev was well outside his crease and that the contact came after the puck was in the net.
“That was an unbelievable all-world play by Ryan Merkley and Burghardt was standing off to the side of the net. The goalie was swimming. It was a great play.
“It’s too bad because we could have had 4,000 people leaving here pretty excited,” said Skalde, who wasn’t quite as cautious with his choice of words when he was yelling across the ice at referee Matt Traub after the final buzzer.
As for the bad goal let in by Herbst, Skalde wasn’t quite so diplomatic.
“They can’t go in. They just can’t go in. Pucks can’t go through the goaltender,” Skalde said of Ottawa’s second goal, a swat from behind the net that hit Herbst’s skate and went in.
What proved to be the winning goal was scored by David Pearce at 3:18 of the third period, making it 3-1 at the time.
Albert Michnac made it 3-2 at 10:52 of the third, setting up a thrilling finish.
Michnac had both Storm goals, one on a rebound, the other on a nice rush finished off by a top-corner snipe.
The import forward now has seven goals on the season.
“I think we played better than the other team. A little bit unlucky and a little bit the referees,” said Michnac.
Michnac said he is feeling more comfortable now in the OHL.
“Every game I think I’m getting better and better he said,” cognizant of the fact his coach wants him to shoot the puck more.
“It’s been difficult. It’s different than European hockey, completely different. But I feel good now,” Michnac said.
Lazarev was brilliant in net for Ottawa, who were outshot by the Storm by a 45-19 margin.
Guelph is in London to face the Knights Saturday.
