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Consistency the biggest issue facing the Storm in the early going

Assessing the team at the quarter pole
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Saxon on the Storm

Historically, Guelph Storm general manager Mike Kelly has a always used the 15-game mark of the Ontario Hockey League season as the milestone at which he feels it's fair to accurately assess the team.

By that point the true colours of the squad are starting to show and a team be what it be, at least at this stage of its development.

So with Game 15 set for Friday night when Owen Sound visit's let's do the same. Who are the 2016-17 version of the Guelph Storm.

Clearly they are  a more talented, developed and competent bunch than the one we saw last season with the main challenge being one of consistency.

They have shown they can play with anyone, but not every night and sometimes not the whole game.

Obviously they are a much better offensive team than last year's squad.

After 14 games the Storm has scored 50 goals this season, tied for fourth most in the league. At the same point last year they had scored 23 and been shut out three times.

The development of Nate Schnarr and Isaac Ratcliffe as legitimate offensive threats, the blossoming of Matt Hotchkiss and the continued progress on the offensive side of the puck of Givani Smith and James McEwan has created offensive balance.

The improved power play, for which young Ryan Merkley deserves plenty of credit, is another reason for the improved offensive output. Guelph is currently ranked sixth on the power play after finishing last season ranked 18th.

The penalty kill has been another story. The team finished last year ranked 18th out of 20 teams and they are still ranked 18th. But, as the saying goes, your goaltender is your most important penalty killer, which brings us to the next point.

The goaltending has been very inconsistent.

A Storm team that fans would universally agree is a much better team than last year has actually given up nine more goals than it had at this point a year ago. The 62 goals allowed through 14 games is the most of any team in the OHL.

Liam Herbst was brought in to provide good (not necessarily great) goaltending. Consistent goaltending. That simply hasn't happened. He would be the first to admit that.

Not only has he been great one night and off the next, sometimes the inconsistency has been within games.

Last Sunday in Oshawa Herbst made some stunning pad saves in the first period to help his team jump out 3-0. Then he was the culprit on three terrible Generals goals: a bad wraparound, a shot from a terrible angle and getting caught wandering behind the net.

When Herbst struggles it almost seems like the issues are ones of focus or concentration more so than technical issues.

The Storm doesn't need amazing goaltending to win games like it did last year, it needs good, consistent goaltending. It hasn't had enough of that yet.

The issue of too many bodies continues, although I am sure the Storm GM has been trying to find spots for extra players to play.

It's a situation that has also been mitigated by injuries and suspension.

But too many players are sitting out. That's not good for them or the team.

It has been an up and down opening five weeks.

The biggest problem is consistency, but at least there are now questions being answered that weren't last year, about who is part of the solution as opposed to who is part of the problem.

There is a very talented core on this team and some very capable role players who understand that role, all of which are essential to winning hockey.

The challenge now is consistency from all those players and all those roles.


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Tony Saxon

About the Author: Tony Saxon

Tony Saxon has had a rich and varied 30 year career as a journalist, an award winning correspondent, columnist, reporter, feature writer and photographer.
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