Potential first overall NHL draft pick Eric Staaltook his show on the road this weekend and his show made a stop in Sault Ste. Marie Sunday afternoon. And what a show it was.
Staal scored three times and chipped in with an assist to lead the Petes to an 8-3 Ontario Hockey League victory over the Soo Greyhounds at Memorial Gardens Sunday.
The Hounds started off the game playing well in the first five minutes and outshot the Petes 6-2 in the opening few minutes. After that it was all Petes, as evidenced by the visitors outshooting the Hounds 20-4 in the final 15 minutes of the period.
Hounds' winger Mike Amodeo opened the scoring at 6:06 of the opening frame but Patrick Kaleta tied the game just 53 seconds later. Mark Flood then gave the Petes a lead they would never relinquish at 14:16 when he put home a feed from Staal. Staal scored his first of the night moments after Flood tallied when he beat Hounds' netminder Adam Munro at 18:24.
The Petes took a 4-1 lead just 33 seconds into the second period when Jamie Tardiff scored. Then, at 9:03, the Hounds tried to get back into the game when Jeff Carter made a turnover by Petes defenceman Aaron Dawson into his 33rd goal of the season. The Petes restored their three-goal lead 43 seconds later as Josh Patterson scored.
Early in the third period, with the Petes shorthanded, Staal forced Hounds centre Petr Taticek, playing the point on the power play, to turn the puck over and then was off to the races beating Munro to give the Petes a 6-2 lead. Just over two minutes later Greg Chambers scored to up the Petes lead again. At 13:08 Staal completed the hat trick beating Munro short side. Matt Puntureri of the Hounds scored a late power play goal to cap the scoring.
Munro had a tough game for the Hounds stopping 35 of 43 shots before being pulled in favour of backup Kevin King who stopped all four shots he faced including a nice glove save on the Petes' Ryan Card while the Hounds were two men down. At the other end David Currie stopped 27 shots for the victory.
In fairness to Munro, he has held the Hounds together this season since arriving from Erie in an October trade. (See more in sports editor Randy Russon's Monday OHL column.)
Of note, Hounds centre Petr Taticek was benched in the third period shortly after coughing up the puck on Staal's second goal of the night. Hound coach John Vanbiesbrouck addressed the situation after the game saying the Taticek has had some health issues this season that date as far back as the World Junior Tournament in late December.
Taticek has suffered from blurred vision among other things. The Florida Panthers, who own Taticek's NHL rights, have been in Sault Ste. Marie over the past three days monitoring his situation as well.
The Hounds now embark on a three game in four days road trip that will see the team make stops in Sarnia on Thursday night, Windsor on Saturday and Saginaw next Sunday before coming home to face the Spirit on Wednesday, March 5.