Cooper Walker brings a lot of things to the table for the Guelph Storm, but goal scoring isn't usually one of them.
But the veteran centre, who came into the game with 10 goals on the season, netted a hat trick Friday night as the Storm rallied for a 6-5 win over the Owen Sound Attack at the Sleeman Centre.
So when was the last time Walker scored a hat trick?
"I don't know. Minor midget? Maybe the year before? It's been a long time though, I can tell you that," Walker said. "I didn't remember what it felt like, but it feels good."
Danny Zhilkin won it for the home side 37 seconds into overtime, spinning and firing a wrist shot from the faceoff circle that beat Attack goaltender Corbin Votary glove side.
It was just what the doctor ordered for the Storm, who had lost four straight heading into Friday's game.
"It was exactly what we needed. It shows the character in the room and it shows the determination we have," Walker said.
"The last couple of games haven't been going our way, but the way we battled back in the second and shut them down really shows our work ethic and our commitment to defence."
A rough start by goaltender Owen Bennett and some lacklustre defensive play by the forward units had the Storm down 5-2 after 20 minutes.
But it was a different Storm team that came out in the second.
Jacob Oster replaced Bennett between the pipes and the Storm scored a pair of unanswered goals to make it 5-4.
They dominated the third, finally tying it on Walker's third of the game on a delayed Owen Sound penalty at the 8:30 mark.
Jake Karabela and Sasha Pastujov had Guelph's other goals. Matt Papais, filling in on a shorthanded blueline crew for the Storm, had three assists in the game. Luka Profaca had a pair.
"We just knew we had to keep getting pucks on the net. It doesn't ever hurt to shoot it, no matter where you are, and that was the mentality going into the second period, just to keep shooting. One of them is going to get in, we're going to get a lucky bounce somewhere," Walker said.
An early goal in the second that made it 5-3 was key to giving the team some momentum, he said.
The Storm gets some reprieve Saturday when Michael Buchinger returns to the lineup after serving his five-game suspension.
Gueph plays in Flint Saturday at 7 p.m. and in Saginaw Sunday at 5:30 p.m. After a game in Windsor Thursday, the next home game is Friday, also against Windsor.
