The Guelph Storm looked like a team playing its sixth game in 10 days Sunday afternoon at the Sleeman Centre.
Throw in the fact they were missing four top forwards for the second game in a row due to injury and illness, then lost their top centre to a match penalty in the second period, and you had a recipe for disaster.
While it wasn't exactly a disaster –the Storm led 2-1 until late into the second period – Guelph dropped to 2-9-2-0 on the season with a 4-3 loss to the North Bay Battalion.
"It's tough to play hockey with three lines or less and we just did that in two games in under 18 hours," said Storm coach Chad Wiseman.
"We finished the game (Saturday in Owen Sound) with seven forwards, and one of them was a defenceman. We've got two 16 year olds who are being asked to play big minutes against other team's top lines."
Guelph was missing Sasha Pastujov and Braeden Bowman, out for the second straight game with lower body injuries and Danny Zhilkin and Valentin Zhugin, out with illness.
They then lost Matt Poitras in the second period when he received a match penalty for a slew foot. It was the second time Poitras has been ejected for slew footing, meaning it is likely going to lead to a suspension beyond the automatic two games.
Wiseman kept it brief when asked his thoughts on the penalty.
"Selfish," was his one-word answer.
"Illness, injuries. Bad penalties. You can't win hockey games like that," Wiseman said.
The Storm's usual fourth line, on this day including the recently-demoted Chase Coughlan as a call-up, played more minutes than it ever has in a game and several rookies were called on to play minutes, and in situations, they haven't seen this season.
"When you're tired come mistakes. When you're tired come injuries. You just can't play hockey with seven and eight forwards in your lineup," Wiseman said.
"You can't be more proud of the effort the guys in the lineup put out yesterday and today. To even to be able to compete at that level. I'm proud of the guys that were out there."
The Battalion's Paul Christopoulos scored what proved to be the winning goal at 3:18 of the third period, taking advantage of what was one of many Storm turnovers in their own end.
Jake Karabela, Charlie Paquette and Cedricson Okitundu had the Guelph goals.
Dixon Grimes gave the Storm perhaps its best goaltending performance of the season, making 34 saves.
"He certainly did give us a chance to win the game." the Storm coach said.
The Storm also had two failed penalty shot attempts, by Karabela and Cooper Walker, which were both stopped by North Bay goaltender Charlie Robertson, making his second start of the season.
Guelph now hits the road for its next five games, starting Wednesday night in Sarnia. Next home game isn't until Nov. 13, again against Sarnia.
