The Soo Greyhounds have been on quite the roll on home ice as of late. Heading into Saturday night's game with Barrie, the Hounds had a 5-2-1 record on home ice since the New Year.
The Colts on the other hand are in the midst of a slide that has them holding down a 3-5-2 record in their last ten games heading into the match with the Hounds. Added up, that spelled trouble for the Colts.
A strong goaltending performance from rookie goaltender Kyle Gajewski and a strong offensive performance from Jeff Carter paved the way for the Hounds to earn a 3-2 victory over Barrie.
The Hounds opened the scoring in the first period when Jordan Smith slipped a shot past Dan LaCosta in the Barrie goal at the 16:00 mark in what was an otherwise uneventful first period.
The second period saw both teams open up offensively, leading to a number of scoring chances. Late in the period Carter had an opportunity to put the Hounds ahead by a pair of goals but the gifted centre was turned aside on a breakaway by LaCosta.
Moments after the breakaway, Carter broke into the Colts zone on a 2-on-1 with Brody Todd and fed the winger with a perfect pass leading to the winger scoring his first goal as a Greyhound at 16:53.
Just 27 seconds later, Bryan Little, who had a solid game, got the Colts on the board with a power play goal sending the game into the third period with the Hounds leading 2-1.
In the third, the Hounds managed to increase their lead late as Jason Pitton scored with three minutes remaining and it turned out to be an important goal. Not long after Pitton made the score 3-1, the Hounds were handed a pair of penalties, moments apart, by referee Joe Park.
Tyler Kennedy was caught for cross-checking at 17:52 and Martin Tuma was then sent off for roughing at 18:38.
Just 20 seconds after the Tuma penalty started, the Colts, playing with 6-on-3 advantage after pulling LaCosta in favour of an extra attacker, pulled to within one as Little scored his second of the game at 18:58.
Despite some good chances in the closing moments, the Colts could not get the equalizer as the Hounds held on for the one-goal victory in front of 3,467 fans at Memorial Gardens.
Hounds coach Craig Hartsburg was pleased with the goaltending he received from Gajewski, who stopped 34 shots in the victory.
"It was a tight game and we got through with the two points," Hartsburg said. "(Gajewski) was outstanding tonight. He made some big stops for us.
"There wasn't very many sustained chances tonight," Hartsburg added. "It was more like checking, then one team gets a chance, then some more checking and the other team gets a chance so there was not much sustained offence."
The Hounds now enter an important road trip next weekend as they take their 23-23-7-1 record on the road to face Saginaw on Friday, Plymouth on Saturday and Sarnia on Sunday.
The Plymouth game is of added importance as the two teams are currently in a heated battle for top spot in the OHL's West Division. They currently sit tied atop the division with 54 points each.
Next home action for the Hounds will be on Feb. 23 when they host the Sarnia Sting in a 7 p.m. start.
*** AROUND THE O:
* James Neal had a pair of goals and John Vigilante had three assists as the Plymouth Whalers kept pace with the Greyhounds by defeating the Windsor Spitfires by a 6-3 score. Dan Collins and Steve Ward each had a goal and an assist in the victory. John Scott Dickson led the way for Windsor with a goal and two assists.
* Brad Richardson scored twice and Bobby Ryan assisted on both goals as Owen Sound held on for a 3-2 victory over Kitchener.
* A third period goal by Ryan O'Marra helped Erie earn a 3-3 tie with Peterborough. Andrew Hotham and Michael Blunden each had a pair of assists for Erie while Jordan Morrison had a goal and an assist for Peterborough. Both goaltenders, Josh Disher of Erie and Jeff MacDougald of Peterborough, stopped 42 shots.
* Evan Brophey, Scott Baker and John Hughes scored for Belleville as they defeated Brampton 3-2. Goaltender Kevin Lalande stopped 34 shots in the win. Tyler Harrison had a pair of assists in a losing cause for Brampton.
* Defenceman Adam McQuaid had three assists while Ryan Hastings had a goal and an assist as Sudbury handed Oshawa a 4-2 loss. Cal Clutterbuck scored both Oshawa goals while Chad Thompson assisted on both.
* The London Knights continue to roll as they handed the Saginaw Spirit a 3-1 loss in Saginaw. Danny Syvret had a goal and two assists in the win.