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Photo Credit: Freeze Frame Photos
Over the weekend of February 21st to 23rd, the Soo U18 Greyhounds hit the road for three GNU18HL contests, starting with a matchup against the New Liskeard Cubs on Friday night before heading to Kapuskasing for back-to-back games against the Flyers on Saturday and Sunday.
In game one of the weekend in New Liskeard Cubs doubled up on the Greyhounds with the Soo opening their road trip with Anthony Spironello scoring his seventh goal of the season unassisted at 14:30 of the first period. Caleb Walker followed up with his 19th of the season, assisted by Nathan Dupuis, to give the Soo a 2-0 lead. However, the Cubs responded just before the first intermission, as Cameron Olsen cut the deficit to 2-1 with assists from Ryan Miller and Thomas Rannou.
New Liskeard continued their momentum in the second period, tying the game 2-2 with Rannou’s ninth goal of the season. Walker regained the Soo’s lead at 9:15 with an unassisted tally, but the Cubs battled back. Goals from Miller, Dupuis, and Kyle Cloutier turned the tide in New Liskeard’s favor, ending the second period tied 4-4.
The third period saw the Cubs dominate offensively, with goals from Jake Hey, Maverick Hill, and Miller putting New Liskeard ahead 7-4. Hill sealed the victory with his second of the game at 13:49, handing the Greyhounds an 8-4 loss.
Determined to bounce back, the Greyhounds faced the Kapuskasing Flyers on Saturday. Alessandro Parco struck first for the Soo at 6:49 of the opening frame, assisted by Dylan Rousselle. The Flyers answered at 8:38 when Nicolas Hallett scored a power play goal, but Anthony Spironello put the Soo ahead 2-1 just over a minute later on the power play, assisted by Gavin Killoran.
The Greyhounds took control in the second period. Walker, Rousselle, and Spironello each found the back of the net, extending the lead to 5-1. Killoran and Rousselle added two more goals before the end of the frame, making it 7-1. The Flyers managed to cut the deficit with a goal from Dustin Niquet, but the Greyhounds remained in command.
Kapuskasing’s Connor McNabb scored a shorthanded goal in the third, but Spironello’s late marker secured an 8-3 victory for the Soo.
The Greyhounds wrapped up their road trip on Sunday with another matchup against Kapuskasing. Cameron Kontulainen gave the Soo an early lead on the power play at 2:22, assisted by Jevon Johnson and Walker. However, the Flyers responded with two late first-period goals from Theo Bourdon-Lemoyne and Lex Lamontagne to take a 3-1 lead into intermission.
The Soo answered back in the second period with power play goals from Rousselle and Killoran, tying the game 3-3. Killoran added another power play marker at 16:03, putting the Greyhounds ahead 4-3.
Walker and Parco extended the Soo’s lead in the third, but the Flyers fought back, closing the gap to 6-5. Parco secured the victory for the Greyhounds with his second of the game at 14:22, sealing an 8-5 win.
Looking ahead, the U18 Greyhounds will return to the road on March 1st and 2nd for a two-game series against the North Bay U16 Trappers in Powassan. Puck drops at 7:30 p.m on Saturday and 2:30 p.m on Sunday.
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