The Guelph Storm was it's own worst enemy Friday night, as a team fighting for a playoff spot trumped a team fighting for home-ice advantage in the first round.
The Guelph Storm simply made too many mistakes against the Kitchener Rangers, who scored a pair of unanswered goals in the third period for a 5-4 win in front of a crowd of 4,443 at the Sleeman Centre.
"Obviously a frustrating game. We made too many mistakes that ended up in the back of our net," said Storm forward Ben McFarlane, who had a goal and an assist on the night.
"It's definitely important to win these games. We're trying to get a higher spot for the playoffs and we've got to be better."
With 11 games now left in the regular season the fifth-place Storm is eight points back of fourth place Sault Ste. Marie and what could be a very meaningful home-ice advantage for the first round.
Kitchener gave itself some breathing room just to make the playoffs, now sitting six points up on the ninth place Erie Otters.
Down 1-0 after one period and 3-1 midway through the second, the locals seemed poised for a big third period after Chris Coughlan and Brayden Guy scored late in the third to even things up heading into the third.
But some lacklustre effort by a during a power play allowed the Rangers to race down for a shorthanded goal by Mike Petizian at 7:26 of the third. A minute and six second after that, a rocket of a wrist shot from a sharp angle caught Jacob Oster too deep in his net to make it 5-3.
Sasha Pastujov scored with 7:37 left on the clock to make it 5-4, but that was it for the scoring.
"We've just got to stick together when we get down. Obviously when they score shorthanded it's not good for our morale, but we've just got to look past that and come back harder," McFarlane said.
Guelph had five forwards on the power play for Kitchener's goal. The second game in a a week they've given up a shorthanded goal with five forwards on the power play.
"I was a little worried about our energy tonight in that first period," said Storm coach George Burnett. "It was basically the first of nine periods in the next two days and we had a lot of red faces out there."
Burnett downplayed the five forwards on the power play is a liability opinion.
"I don't know if it's because there's five forwards out there, I think it's because we're not working and we're not making good choices. I'm not concerned about the five forwards out there, it's the mistakes and the choices we're making with the puck are not appropriate."
Added Burnett, "I can't play Luka (Profaca) 40 minutes a night. He's not going to have anything left come Sunday."
Guelph is still without three top defencemen due to injury and suspension. Michael Buchinger is likely the first to return, and that's not for another three games.
The Storm plays in Erie Saturday night then hosts the London Knights Sunday night in a 7 p.m. start.
