The Guelph Storm will be heading north for the first round of the OHL playoffs.
A 3-2 overtime win over the Kitchener Rangers Friday night at the Sleeman Centre clinched fifth place in the Western Conference for the Storm and a first round match up against the Greyhounds.
Guelph was 2-4 in games against the Soo this season.
Game 1 of that series goes Thursday, April 21, in Sault Ste. Marie. Game 2 is Saturday up north, then the series returns to Guelph for Game 3 Tuesday, April 26, and Game 4 on Thursday, April 28.
"They're a top team. We have the utmost respect for their game. They've got a blueline that loves to control the game and have the puck a lot, get involved in the rush, and their transition game is as good as there is in the league," Storm coach George Burnett said.
"We need to finish on a high note (Saturday), be as healthy as we can be, get a little rest and get ready and get excited to go to the Soo on Wednesday morning."
Guelph wraps up the regular season with a meaningless game with the Windsor Spitfires at home Saturday night.
Guelph finally has all hands on deck, a little battered and bruised perhaps, but recovered from injuries that kept guys out of the lineup.
"We're a young team, we have a lot of skill, we have a lot of speed and we're going to battle hard," said Danny Zhilkin.
Zhilkin won it for Guelph Friday, redirecting a cross-crease pass from Michael Buchinger past Kitchener goaltender Pavel Cajan at 3:34 of extra time.
Cajan was the star of the game, making 41 saves.
At the other end, Jacob Oster returned from a concussion to make 17 saves, including a few dandies.
Zhilkin had been stopped by Cavan on a mini breakaway the shift prior to scoring the winner. Upon returning to the bench he snapped his stick and it was the new one that tapped in the winner.
"Buchinger obviously made an unbelievable play there," Zhilkin said of the pass on the winner. "He plays so well for us. Logs almost 25 minutes a night as a rookie defenceman."
Zhilkin and Burnett both gave a tip of the cap to Cavan in the Rangers net.
"He's a great goalie for them. We couldn't get the pucks past him and ended up getting a dirty one in overtime," Zhilkin said.
