Hounds speed past Flint
There was little doubt as to which was the better team. Second-seed Soo Greyhounds were in control from the outset, showing skill and speed to sprint past seventh-seed Flint Firebirds 5-2 in Thursday’s opening game of the best-of-seven, Ontario Hockey League Western Conference playoff.
Playing at home in front of just over 3,300 fans, the Hounds jumped out to a 3-0 lead en route to the 5-2 decision that included an empty-net tally by the Soo.
Flint did make it close for a spell, scoring twice in the final minute of the second stanza on goals by overage defensemen Mathieu Henderson and Alex Peters to narrow the Soo lead to 3-2.
But all in all, the Greyhounds controlled the play, out-shooting the Firebirds 37-21.
Veteran goalie Connor Hicks was Flint’s best player, making several difficult saves while under close-in siege by the Soo. Rookie defenseman Dennis Busby also turned in a nice game for Flint, creating a couple of the limited scoring chances that the Firebirds had.
Checking forward Hayden Verbeek emerged from his defensive shell to spark the Soo attack with a pair of goals.
Forwards Boris Katchouk, Jack Kopacka and Blake Speers (with the empty-netter) accounted for the other Soo goals.
Rookie goalie Matthew Villalta stayed awake long enough to make 19 saves in the Soo net.
Game 2 in the series is set for the Essar Centre in the Soo on Saturday night at 7 p.m.
The series will then shift to Dort Federal Credit Union Event Center in Flint for Games 3 and 4 next Monday and Wednesday with 7 p.m. starts both nights.