Players look to leave an impression as exhibition games approach for Greyhounds

It marks the final chance for players to earn an opportunity to move on to exhibition games with the Soo Greyhounds.

Friday’s annual Luke Williams Memorial Red and White game saw some players do just that, including free agent invite C.J. Clarke.

An overage forward who spent time in the Ontario Hockey League with Peterborough, Flint, and Mississauga, Clarke had three goals and an assist in the annual contest and earned himself an opportunity to play in exhibition games with the Greyhounds.

“He came to play tonight,” said Greyhounds coach John Dean. “He scored three nice goals and had a couple more opportunities. He’s a really talented player. Right from minor midget, he’s been a player that could put pucks in the back of the net.

“He’s shown that he can still do it when he wants to, he just needs to be consistent,” Dean also said.

“He was really good, creating every time he was on the ice,” added Greyhounds general manager Kyle Raftis. “He’s going to play tomorrow, and we’ll take it from there.”

“He had a great start to his second year but since then there’s been spurts of it but he’s never been consistent for a year,” Raftis also said. “With his skillset, he’s got to be able to produce. He’s got to be able to play on both sides of the puck. He’s got to be somebody that we can count on to lead this team both on and off the ice.”

The other overage player who attended camp as a free agent invite, Sullivan Sparkes, was also among the players released from camp.

The other players released included goaltenders Coulter Taylor, Noah Zeppa, Luca DiPasquo, and Brandon Heaslip, defencemen Luc Brzustowski, Cole McGuire, Luke DeVries, Hunter Brown, Kobe Seguin, and Logan Heroux, and forwards Tyler Savard, Rhys Chiddenton, Luke Haymes, Owen Parsons, Jordan D’Intino, Tyson Tomasini, Alex Frechette, and Alexander Timchenko.

“There weren’t as many easy cuts as some years,” Raftis said. “It puts pressure on everybody and at the same time internally, there’s still going to be some competition because it’s not like anything is finalized.”

The Greyhounds roster will sit at 16 forwards, seven defencemen and two goaltenders heading into the exhibition opener on Saturday. The group doesn’t include forward Barrett Hayton, who is preparing to attend the camp of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes.

Among the other players who will attend NHL camps is Montreal draft pick Jacob LeGuerrier while Cullen McLean and Cole MacKay will attend the Vegas Golden Knights camp as free agents. Joe Carroll will attend the Toronto Maple Leafs camp.

For Dean, free agent signee Tanner Dickinson has left an impression.

“What I love about him is his ability make plays under stress,” Dean said. “And I love how quick he transitions with the puck. When the puck is on his stick, he turns it over really fast and gets going up ice. It really makes things difficult on the opposing team.”

“He fits into Hounds hockey,” Dean added. “We feel like we have a very distinct system and you have to be a certain type of player to play in it and I think he’ll excel in it.”

Dean was also pleased with the play of veteran forward Ryan Roth.

“Ryan Roth has always had an ability to find the back of the net and he did it again today,” Dean said. “He’s had a great camp. He clearly wants to make a point with his play and he’s a guy who has high confidence and believes in what he can do.”

In the Red and White game, Team White beat Team Red 6-4.

In addition to Clarke’s three goals, Dominic Mufarreh, Joe Carroll, and Jaden Peca also scored while Kalvyn Watson assisted on three goals.

Roth had a pair of goals for Team Red while Rory Kerins had a goal and two assists. Zack Trott also scored. Sophomore forward Cullen McLean assisted on three goals.

In the first period, Luca DiPasquo made five saves for Team White while Coutler Taylor made six saves for Team Red.

In the second period, free agent goaltender Brandon Heaslip made 12 saves for Team White while Noah Zeppa made five saves for Team Red.

In the third period, Ethan Taylor made 10 saves for Team White while Christian Propp made 11 saves for Team Red.

The Greyhounds open up exhibition play on Saturday in Sudbury against the Wolves.

In exhibition action around the OHL on Friday night, in Kingston, shootout goals by Danil Antropov and Ty Tullio were the difference as the Oshawa Generals beat the Kingston Frontenacs 5-4.

In Mississauga, Nick Isaacson had a pair of goals as the Mississauga Steelheads beat the Guelph Storm 4-0.

In Niagara, a shootout goal by Tyson Foerster was the difference as the Barrie Colts beat the Niagara IceDogs 3-2. Foerster tied the game for the Colts with a goal in the final minute of regulation time.

In London, despite a 40-save performance from Sarnia Sting goaltender Cameron Lamour, the London Knights beat the Sting 4-2.

The Kitchener Rangers are hosting a pre-season showcase that began with the Peterborough Petes beating the Saginaw Spirit 8-5 on Friday afternoon. Nick Robertson scored three times for the Petes while Liam Kirk and Cameron Butler chipped in with two goals and an assist each. Blade Jenkins had a pair of goals for Saginaw.

Friday’s other game saw the Kitchener Rangers score four times in the third period to beat the North Bay Battalion 6-5.