MISSISSAUGA – Baby steps.
The Guelph Storm had eight rookies in the lineup Friday night as the process of whittling down to the final roster began in earnest with a 2-1 pre-season road win over the Mississauga Steelheads.
Charlie Paquette scored the winner late in the third period, redirecting a nice pass from linemate Gavin Grundner at the top of the crease.
Cam Allen, on the power play, had Guelph's other goal.
Lots of mistakes, but also lots of hits and lots of effort.
"To be honest, for a lot of those guys this was their first time playing at this level and you could tell," Storm coach Scott Walker said. "It was a fast game, it was hard hitting and (Mississauga) is a big team.
"A hard-hitting game in a small barn. I was impressed with them."
The game was played in one of the secondary rinks at the Paramount Centre. Poor lighting, sound and an ice pad that felt smaller than usual.
Walker said the young players worked hard and got better as the game went on, even if those "little touch passes that worked in minor hockey don't work here."
The Storm coach said there aren't really any systems being worked on right now, as the team still has a dozen or so extra players in camp.
Walker said he is letting players do things they likely won't be doing in the regular season, as he sees "what they can do to try and make this team."
"For me, a big thing about training camp is not telling players how to play. They've got to show me what they can do to make the team When they make the team, then we can get the style of play down."
The team's top three picks in this year's draft all played: Forwards Jett Luchanko and Hunter McKenzie along with defenceman Rowan Topp.
Dixon Grimes went all the way in net for Guelph and was very solid.
History was made Friday when Lacey Senuk became the first female to referee an OHL game. She did have to borrow fellow ref Mike Cairns jersey for the occasion though.
Finnish Import Niko Minkkinen took a hard hit into the boards behind the Guelph et in the first period and left the ice gingerly. He didn't return.
"He thought he could go again, but we held him out as a precaution," Walker said.
Same two teams face off Saturday night at the Sleeman Centre in a 7 p.m. start.
