The logo of the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League
It wasn’t the start the Attack were looking for.
Leo Serlin scored a pair of goals and Brayden Gillespie made 34 saves as the Guelph Storm doubled up the Owen Sound Attack 4-2 to open the Ontario Hockey League season Friday night at the Sleeman Centre.
Braeden Bowman and Michael Buchinger also scored for Guelph (1-0-0-0), which never trailed in the game.
Deni Goure had both goals for the Attack (0-1-0-0).
Owen Sound was playing without its captain Colby Barlow, who remains at training camp with his NHL club the Winnipeg Jets. The Storm were also without their top point-producer from the 2022-23 season, as Matthew Poitras is getting an extended look from the Boston Bruins.
There was more than one odd play that found its way in the back of Owen Sound’s net in this game.
Buchinger opened the scoring 4:45 into the first period, capitalizing on a turnover deep in the Attack zone after Martin Matejicek was knocked down in the corner. Buchinger ended up with the puck and a lot of time near the hashmarks, firing a wrist shot past Corbin Votary glove side. 1-0.
Guelph made it 2-0 with 2:22 left in the first period. This was an odd play. Madden Steen took a pass in his own zone inside the blueline and when he looked up to start up ice, he collided with the referee. Steen went down and the loose puck was there for Serlin to take and skate towards the goal, firing a low shot past Votary.
The Attack cut the lead in half just over seven minutes into the second period. Matejicek put a point shot through traffic that found its way towards the crease area, and Goure managed to pick up the loose puck shove it past Gillespie.
But another odd play less than two minutes later put Guelph back in front by two. Sam Sedley was handling the puck in his own end near the front of the net, and tried to fire a hard pass out of the zone. The shot hit the skate of a forechecking Serlin, and deflected with a lot of pace in a perfect spot over Votary’s shoulder and under the crossbar.
That was the third unassisted goal for Guelph.
Bowman scored 33 seconds into the third period to extend the lead to 4-1.
And Goure potted his second, a wrist shot from the high slot that beat Gillespie blocker-side, at 14:30.
Gillespie made 34 saves in the win, while Votary stopped 23 taking the loss. Votary also denied Jake Karabella on a penalty shot in the second period.
The Attack outshot Guelph 36-27 while going 0 for 6 on the power play; the Storm finished 0 for 4.
Saturday night, Owen Sound plays its home opener at the Bayshore Community Centre against the Barrie Colts
SEASON OPENING SETBACK
Friday night was the 34th season opener in Owen Sound OHL franchise history, according to the Fred Wallace Encyclopedia of Attack/Platers hockey. The Attack are now 15-13-2-2-2 in season opening games, but have dropped six of the last seven.
LAWRENCE SITS OUT
The Attack opened the season with four overage players on their roster: Sam Sedley, Deni Goure, Ethan Burroughs and Kaleb Lawrence. League rules only allow teams to dress a maximum of three overage players. Lawrence, who returned from Los Angeles Kings training camp this week, was the odd man out in the season opener.