The recent rough patch for the Owen Sound Attack continued in London.
Ruslan Gazizov scored twice as part of a four-goal first period for Knights, as they cruised past the Attack 5-2 in Ontario Hockey League action Friday night at Budweiser Gardens.
The Attack (16-11-2-1) suffered their first straight loss. London (20-8-1-0) won their third straight and 11th in their past 12, moving six points up on Owen Sound for the Midwest Division lead.
Sean McGurn, Landon Sim and Oliver Bonk also scored for London. Matthew Papais and Ben Cormier had the goals for the Attack.
Cormier’s marker was his first career OHL goal.
London dominated the game from the get-go, taking a 4-0 lead in the first period.
McGurn opened the scoring 5:06 in, pouncing on a turnover by Cedrick Guindon on a zone entry at the London blueline and dashing back up ice on short-handed breakaway before beating Nick Chenard in tight to make it 1-0.
It was the sixth straight game the Attack have conceded the first goal.
Five minutes later the Knights struck again. Sim potted his ninth of the season on a shot from the high slot that beat Chenard high on the blocker side.
Gazizov connected on the power play at 13:36 to make it 3-0 for London. He ripped a perfectly placed wrister from the faceoff circle and got it over Chenard’s shoulder on the glove-hand, short-side.
The Knights capped their dominant opening period with a fourth goal in the final minute, with Gazizov chipping a puck in front.
Chenard’s night ended after the opening period. He was pulled for the second straight game after allowing four goals on 14 shots. Corbin Votary came out for the second period.
Owen Sound started to put some offence together in the second, but Brett Brochu was stellar in the Knights crease.
A power play opportunity near the midway mark generated several scoring chances for Owen Sound – none closer than a shot off the stick of Gavin Bryant from the slot the rang off the post.
It was the Knights who broke through with another goal late in the second period. Max McCue and Bonk took off up ice on a 2-on-1 shorthanded, and Bonk was on the receiving end of a pass and then quickly fired a high shot past Votary on the blocker side to make it 5-0.
The Attack made things a bit interesting midway through the third. Papais and Cormier scored 13 seconds apart to cut London’s lead to three.
Then with just over six minutes to go a slashing call against Jackson Edward sent Owen Sound to a power play.
Brochu made a remarkable glove save on Attack captain Colby Barlow during the man advantage to maintain the three-goal lead.
A cross-seam pass found Barlow sitting near the faceoff down and he managed to quickly fire the puck towards the net, but Brochu slid to his left and as he was falling forward snagged the puck out of mid-air to cue loud applause from the crowd at the Budweiser Gardens.
Barlow immediately pointed towards the net to signal he thought the puck was caught by Brochu over the goal line. There was a video review but the play stood as called on the ice – unbelievable save by Brochu.
Brochu made 36 saves in the win, while Chenard stopped 10 taking the loss. Votary stopped 15 of 16 shots he faced over the final two periods.
The Attack outshot London 38-30 while going 0 for 5 on the power play and allowing two short-handed goals against. The Knights finished 1 for 5 with the man advantage.
Owen Sound plays its final game before the Christmas break Saturday night at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre against the Windsor Spitfires (18-7-3-1). Game time is 7:30 p.m.
BUMPS AND BRUISES
Attack forwards Gavin Bryant and Ben Cormier, and defenceman Teddy Sawyer made their returns to the lineup from injuries. Bryant had missed the past 19 games, Sawyer the past 16 and Cormier was back after missing six contests.
Deni Goure was not in the lineup for the Attack. He is out of action after taking a stick to the face against the Soo Greyhounds last weekend. It was the first time in Goure’s OHL career he’s missed a game — ending an ironman streak at 159 consecutive games played.
