LONDON - Ryan Merkley had a goal and two assists as the Guelph Storm gritted out a 3-2 win over the London Knights Sunday afternoon in London.
Merkley's second-period goal, a wrister from the high slot with a delayed penalty coming to the Knights, was the game-winner.
Goals by Liam Hawel and Isaac Ratcliffe had given the Storm a 2-0 lead by the 12-minute mark of the first period, but London's Billy Moskal cut the lead to 2-1 by the end of the opening period.
Merkley made it 3-1 at 1:22 of the second, then Evan Bouchard made it 3-2 on the power play a little over a minute later.
That was it for the scoring, as London netminder Jordan Kooy and Guelph's Anthony Popovich shut the door after that.
Cam Hillis had a pair of assists for the Storm, who are now just four points back of the Knights for fourth place in the Western Conference, with Guelph holding a game in hand.
The Storm plays in Mississauga on Thursday then hosts Owen Sound on Friday.
