Ben McFarlane's contribution to the Guelph Storm often isn't found on the scoresheet, but it was Friday night.
The overage winger had a goal and two assists to lead the Storm to a 5-4 win over the Flint Firebirds before 4,241 at the Sleeman Centre.
The win leapfrogs the Storm over Flint in the Western Conference standings, where Guelph is now in sixth place.
Just as important, McFarlane played a key role in killing off seven of eight Flint power plays, as the Storm penalty kill seems to have found a new life.
"I just try and play hard and play simple," McFarlane said.
"When the scoring chances come, I'm thankful for that, but my game's obviously being a 200-foot player. That's my first thought, but it is nice to get a goal."
Friday's goal gives him 10 on the season. He was also a plus-3 on the night.
The Storm penalty kill, brutal the first half of the season, has seen a resurgence much like the rest of the team's play in the past 15 games or so.
"We definitely struggled with that at the start of the year. We just couldn't figure it out. But the last 15 games our penalty kill has arguably won us a lot of games. It's been 100 per cent (successful) a lot of those games," McFarlane said.
In its past five games, the Storm has killed of 21 of 23 opposition power plays.
"We've spent a lot more time on it and we've changed a few things," Storm coach Chad Wiseman said of the penalty kill. "A lot more pressure up ice and in the neutral zone."
The Storm looked like they would cruise to a comfy win over the Firebirds. They were up 4-1 with 11 minutes left in regulation.
But a double minor to the Storm's Braeden Bowman and a couple of unlucky bounces around the Storm net, including a weak wrister from the point that went in off a defenceman's body, made it a one-goal game with 4:32 on the clock.
Guelph's Chandler Romeo put one into the empty net to make it 5-3, but Flint's Amadeus Lombardi made it 5-4 just 13 seconds later.
It was nailbiting time after that, with Patrick Leaver standing tall in the Storm net as they hung on for the two points.
Cooper Walker, Charlie Paquette and Jake Karabela had the other Storm goals. Leaver made 30 saves.
Storm coach Wiseman wasn't too thrilled with some of the penalties his team took late in the game.
"You can't take that many penalties and expect to kill them all off. It becomes taxing on the guys that are killing the penalties," Wiseman said.
"I thought we were undisciplined from the start of the second period right through until the end of the game. Not just in taking penalties, but undisciplined. In our decision making."
Guelph will host the London Knights Saturday night in a 7 p.m. start. On Sunday they play in Peterborough.
