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Guelph Storm enters Christmas break on a winning note

Sit seven points out of a playoff spot heading into second half of season
20161217 storm vs. rangers 5 ts
The Guelph Storm's Isaac Ratcliffe celebrates after scoring what turned out to be the winning goal at the Sleeman Centre Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, against the Kitchener Rangers.

Now comes the hard part.

The Guelph Storm entered the Christmas break on a winning note Saturday, downing the Kitchener Rangers 5-2 at the Sleeman Centre.

They now get a 10-day break before the real work begins: trying to climb the Western Conference standings and get in the playoffs.

After their win Saturday the last-place Storm (12-18-2-1) sat seven points back of the eighth-place Flint Firebirds for the final playoff spot.

“It’s going to be a grind when we get back,” Storm coach Jarrod Skalde said.

“It’s a work ethic. Our discipline is going to be key … but we just have to compete, give the effort every night because if you work you have a chance to win, if you don’t work you don’t give yourself much of a chance.”

Guelph has shown at times that it can play with the OHL’s best teams, but doing it on a nightly basis has been an issue.

“We’ve just got to do the things we were doing tonight: just play simple and get pucks deep,” said Storm winger Isaac Ratcliffe, who scored twice in Saturday’s win.

“We definitely are watching the standings. Going into that second half it’s going to be huge. That last playoff spot is up for grabs and if we play like we did tonight we’re going to have the opportunity to get it,” Ratcliffe said.

Saturday’s game was much closer than the final score would indicate, with the last two Storm goals coming into an empty net.

Ratcliffe had the game winner at 1:24 of the third period, smacking home a rebound of a Givani Smith shot.

Ratcliffe and Albert Michnac both had a pair of goals for the Storm, with Smith netting the other.

The game wasn't without controversy, as Michnac's second goal clanged off iron and bounced straight out from the Kitchener net. It was immediately called a goal by the closest referee and after lengthy review it was determined there wasn't enough evidence to overturn the original call.

Kitchener wasn't pleased, believing the shot hit the crossbar, not the bar inside the back of the net.

The Rangers have been on the losing end of several video reviews this season.

Michnac, who was scheduled to fly home to the Czech Republic later Saturday night for the holidays, snapped an 11-game scoreless streak with his two goals, including a beautiful solo effort that saw him beat two Rangers before cutting to the middle of the ice and firing a wrister to the top corner.

“No pressure on me. I just had a couple of bad games, but I’m back and I enjoy that,” Michnac said. “I’ve felt better and better the last three games and today I felt really good.

“It was the last game before Christmas and we need the points. It’s a good win for us,” he said.

Anthony Popovich made 29 saves for the win. Dawson Carty had 35 saves in the Kitchener net.

Guelph’s next game is Dec. 28 at home against the Sarnia Sting.


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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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