Clark Hiebert has carefully been biding his time as a Guelph Storm rookie.
Sitting out games. Playing a handful of shifts in others. He knew eventually he'd be called on for big minutes in big games.
That time arrived on the weekend.
With top-four defencemen Fedor Gordeev (suspension) and Martin Hăs (illness) out of the lineup, the 18-year-old rookie defenceman was called on for big minutes after two of the teams top defencemen and responded with a pair of solid games.
On Monday against the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Hiebert scored his second goal of the season and was a plus-2 as the Storm downed the Hounds 3-2 in a shootout won when Danny Zhilkin rifled one to the top corner in the eighth round.
“It’s a long season, anything can happen with injuries and stuff, so you’ve always got to be prepared to play big minutes,” said Hiebert, a ninth round pick of the Storm in 2017.
“You just have to know your role and do what you’ve got to do.”
Hieber has played in 31 of the Storm’s 54 games this season. Getting used to sitting out has also been an adjustment.
“Obviously it’s frustrating, but you’ve just got to worry about your next shift and not get too down and when things are going good not get too high.
“It’s my first year in the league so it’s been a bit of a change but I’ve been enjoying it lots, just working every day, trying to get better and just try and make a name for myself.”
Storm coach George Burnett said Hiebert has answered the call.
“He’s playing big minutes, he’s playing important minutes, he’s playing real reliable and it’s pretty tough not to have him in there.
“With two guys out of our lineup he’s really elevated his game,” said Burnett, adding that several of the young players have been playing with composure.
Monday’s game was a plodding affair, with both teams showing signs of a busy weekend schedule, both game and travel-wise.
It looked like the Storm would win it in regulation, but the Hounds’ Tye Kartye one-timed home a pass on the edge of the crease with goaltender Bailey Brkin on the bench for the extra attack to force overtime and eventually a shootout.
Zhilkin and Pavel Gogolev were the only Storm players to score in the shootout. Rory Kerins was the lone Greyhound to beat Nico Daws.
“I don’t think we’re playing great hockey on this little stretch, but we’re finding ways and I guess that’s good,” Burnett said.
“We’re getting some wins that we weren’t getting for a three week period.”
Monday’s win leaves the Storm in sixth place in the Western Conference with 14 games remaining in the regular season.
They host the London Knights on Friday.
