OWEN SOUND — Matt Papais had all of one practice with his new teammates before stepping onto the ice at the Bayshore Community Centre Tuesday night.
But the most recent Guelph Storm signee was thrown into the deep end, playing a regular shift for two periods in a tough road rink as the shorthanded Storm played well before faltering late in a 3-2 loss to the Owen Sound Attack.
Guelph has won just four games on the road this year.
Tuesday’s loss leaves them tied for fourth with the Saginaw Spirit in the Western Conference standings.
Papais was one of three 16-year-old call-ups for the Storm, which was missing six regulars due to injury and international duties.
“I was a little nervous but I was more excited,” said the Nobleton native. “I was really looking forward to it.”
He certainly didn’t expect the amount of ice time he got.
“I did not expect that. I got a lot of ice. Coming in I only expected a few shifts,: said Papais, whose mom and dad came up for the game.
“It was a really cool experience. I’ve always wanted to play in the OHL since I was a little kid.”
Papais, drafted in the seventh round by Guelph this year, has 11 goals and 32 points playing in Brantford this season, making him the highest scoring 16 year old in the tier II Ontario Junior Hockey League.
George Burnett thought all three call-ups, Papais was joined by Luka Profaca and Ben McFarlane, performed well.
“I didn’t anticipate having six guys out of the lineup, but I thought all the young kids did well,” Burnett said.
“Papais handled himself particularly well. He had a couple of chances to score and he made some good decisions with the puck,” the Storm coach said.
“You’re always a little nervous playing in your first game but we’re certainly not disappointed with what we saw.”
Guelph was missing Isaac Ratcliffe (world junior camp), Daniil Chayka (Four Nation’s Cup), Barret Kirwin (suspension), Mark Woolley, Dom Commisso and Tag Bertuzzi (all injured) Tuesday night.
Owen Sound was missing three of its top players, including Nick Suzuki.
Burnett said all three injured Storm players could be back on the weekend. Kirwin has one more game to serve on his two-game suspension for a slew foot in Sudbury last Saturday.
“The thought was that if they (the injured three) get a full week of rest, then there’s a better chance we’d see them on the weekend,” Burnett said.
Dmitri Samorukov will miss this weekend’s games as he leaves for the Russian world junior camp.
The Storm jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period before the Attack got one back in the second then two in the third.
The winner came with 9:20 left in regulation when Manuel Alberg drove wide on a one-on-one rush against Jack Hanley, then fired a backhander at Anthony Popovich, who made the save. But the rebound came straight to Kaleb Pearson, who fired it home.
Nate Schnarr and Liam Hawel had Guelph’s goals.
The Storm wraps up the first half of its schedule with a three-in-three weekend: Peterborough at home Friday, Mississauga at home Saturday, then in Oshawa Sunday.
Saturday is the annual Teddy Bear Toss game.
