It's a line known more for shutting down the opponent's top trio than it is for scoring goals, but it was doing both Friday night at the Sleeman Centre.
The line of Cooper Walker flanked by Ben McFarlane and Matt Papais hasn't scored a whole lot of goals this year but has played a huge role in the team's early success as a hard-working, shut-down unit that logs big minutes.
But on Friday it played a big role in the offence as Papais scored a pair of goals in a 4-3 win over the Erie Otters before a season-high crowd of just over 3,600.
With the win Guelph moved into second place in the Western Conference with a 9-5-1-0 record.
"We're all hard-working guys and maybe the puck hasn't quite bounced our way to start the year, but we've got good chemistry and we all work. When you work hard, good things come," said Papais, who now has seven goals on the season.
"It's a big responsibility and it's fun times," Papais said.
McFarlane said it's nice to be rewarded with a big role on the team even if the goals aren't always easy to find. McFarlane has two goals and Walker one.
"I swear we've had the chances all year, they just haven't gone in ... until tonight," he said.
"I've played with Cooper Walker for years growing up in Cambridge so we have some chemistry and then Papais, this is our second or third year together in Guelph. We're older guys and we just outwork the other line."
The Otters came out with plenty of new-coach energy Friday, with B.J. Adams having taken over as head coach from Chris Hartsburg a day earlier.
Guelph weathered that early pressure for the most part, falling behind 1-0 early but staying close on a couple of nice early saves by Jacob Oster before slowly controlling much of the play.
But an 0-for-4 power play helped keep it closer than it should have been and a 4-2 lead early in the third shrunk to 4-3 when Erie's Brett Bressette scored with the goalie pulled and 43 seconds left in regulation.
Erie almost tied it on their final rush up the ice, with Brendan Hoffman rifling one off the crossbar with three ticks left on the clock.
Sasha Pastujov and Jake Karabela had Guelph's other goals and Luka Profaca had two assists.
Guelph has done a much better job of staying out of the penalty box of late, something Papais said is a conscious effort.
"We were just taking a lot of dumb penalties. We just weren't moving our feet, but we've been moving our feet the past few games and working hard."
The Storm announced earlier in the evening that 19-year-old defenceman Michael Bianconi has left the team and will pursue other hockey opportunities outside the OHL.
Bianconi was a former third round pick of the Flint Firebirds who came to Guelph in the Owen Lalonde trade in 2019.
Guelph plays in Owen Sound Saturday night.
