The new look Owen Sound Attack are quickly in the win column.
Konnor Smith dropped the gloves and had an assist in his Attack debut, and Sam McCue also had a point as Owen Sound downed the Otters 4-1 Thursday night in Ontario Hockey League action at the Erie Insurance Arena.
Smith and McCue were appearing in their first game for the Attack after being acquired from the Peterborough Petes earlier this week.
Carter George was stellar in net, making 37 saves to earn the nod as the game’s first star.
Landen Hookey scored the game-winner, while Colby Barlow had a pair of goals for the Attack. Taos Jordan also scored.
Owen Sound (17-15-2-1) ended a string of back-to-back losses.
Dylan Edwards had the lone goal for Erie (16-5-4), which dropped its second straight game.
The Attack leapfrogged Erie into fourth in the Midwest Division and sixth in the Western Conference with the win.
It was a scoreless game until past the midway mark of the second period, then the Attack struck. McCue and Jordan broke in 2-on-1. McCue – the puck carrier on the right side – fired a shot that glanced off the glove of Otters goalie Ben Gaudreau. It deflected off the end board right back out front to Jordan, who was standing just outside the blue paint and had an empty net to look at. 1-0 Owen Sound.
Erie tied it with 28.2 seconds remaining in the middle frame. Bruce McDonald rushed up the right side and after getting into the offensive zone he cut to the middle and got a low shot off. George made a save with his right pad, but the rebound kicked right to Edwards and he lifted it over the blocker of the Attack netminder as he slid to his right. 1-1.
Owen Sound got a power play opportunity early in the third period. Nathan Sauder was sent off for delay of game. Sam Sedley nearly made it a 2-1 game with a low shot that beat Gaudreau, but bounced off the post and stayed out.
Then it was Erie’s turn. Just as the Attack power play expired, Malcolm Spence was sent in on a clean breakaway. He went to his forehand and shot blocker side on George, but the Attack goalie kicked it out to keep it 1-1.
Owen Sound took the lead at 11:37 of the third period. Smith put a weak point shot towards the net from the left side, and Hookey deflected it in to make it 2-1.
The goal ended a nine-game pointless streak for Hookey. It was reviewed for a possible offside, but stood.
Barlow scored an important insurance goal with just over four minutes remaining. Spencer Sova unloaded a big blast from the point that missed the Attack goal and deflected into the neutral zone, springing Barlow on a breakaway. Owen Sound’s captain made no mistake, flicking a shot over the glove of Gaudreau to make it 3-1.
He would add an empty-netter with 58 seconds remaining.
George made 37 saves in the win, while Gaudreau stopped 19 taking the loss. The Otters outshot the Attack 38-23 while going 0 for 2 on the power play; Owen Sound also finished 0 for 2.
Friday, the Attack continue a three-in-three with a stop in St. Catharines to face the Niagara Ice Dogs (9-21-4-1). You can hear the game on Kia of Owen Sound-Terry’s Trailer Service Bear Radio on 560 CFOS, beginning with the Joe Tomato’s pregame show at 6:30 p.m.
WELCOME TO THE BEARS
The big story for the Attack ahead of Thursday’s game was the big trade earlier in the week. Owen Sound brought in defenceman Konnor Smith and forward Sam McCue from the Peterborough Petes for forward Nico Addy, defenceman Martin Matijicek and a third-round pick.
Smith and McCue didn’t take long to make an impact. The young man known as the Big Rig during his time in Peterborough, Smith dropped the gloves for a fight with Alex Messier in the second period. He also had an assist on the game-winning goal.
Smith’s fight was his fourth of the season, and third he wasn’t instigated on. By our count, he has now exhausted his three fights allowed under OHL rules. The next time Smith drops the gloves – unless he is instigated on – will lead to an automatic two-game suspension.
McCue also found the scoresheet in his debut, picking up the primary assist on Owen Sound’s first goal. The Sudbury native and brother of London Knights forward Max McCue played a prominent role, spending most of the game on a line with Deni Goure and Ethan Burroughs.