Photo courtesy of James Egan Photography

SAULT STE. MARIE, ON-
Sunday evening was the tale of two teams.  And while the Guelph Storm skated into Sault Ste. Marie for their third game in as many days, it didn't show.

SERGEY TOLCHINSKY looked to give the home side the first goal of the game less than thirty-seconds into the game.  CHRIS BUONOMO sent the Hounds winger a pass through the middle and past the Storm defence but Garret Sparks would close the door early.

Seconds later Scott Kosmachuk was the recipient from a pass low behind the Hounds net and he quickly found the net behind MATT MURRAY for the 1-0 Guelph lead.

Tyler Bertuzzi, with his 3rd of the season at 4:28 and then Hunter Garlent at the 11:49 mark built up Guelph's 3-0 lead.

In an effort to shake up his team, Head Coach Mike Stapleton pulled MURRAY following the Storm's third goal leaving him with five saves on eight shots in the first period, and JUSTIN NICHOLS would go the rest of the way.

With less than two minutes left in the period, Andrey Pedan's point shot provided Guelph a 4-0 lead after the first period.  The goal, that came on the powerplay, was the Storm defenceman's 4th of the season.

The Hounds started the second period with 1:11 on the powerplay and then would go back on the man advantage minutes later.  But while pressing the Storm would poke the puck past the pointmen sending Guelph on a 2-on-0 before Brock McGinn tucked a short-handed goal low past NICHOLS for a 5-0 lead.

On the ensuing draw sparkplug TRENT MALLETTE dropped the mitt's with the Storm's Kyle Locke in an attempt to bring some life to the Hounds.

BRANDON ALDERSON would be ejected from the game seven minutes into the period as the Hounds overage forward received a five-minute major and game misconduct for a check from behind.

Justin Auger kept the Storm offense rolling with a powerplay goal at 9:38 mark, taking the second whack from the side of the goal, for a 6-0 Guelph lead.

Seconds later MATT FULLER erased the goose-egg on the Hounds side of the scoreboard when he worked a three-way passing play with MICHAEL SCHUMACHER and NICK COUSINS.  The goal marked Fuller's 1st point and 1st goal of the 2012-13 season.

LANDON SCHILLER looked to cut the deficit even further when he was sprung with a pass after stepping out of the box for a breakaway, but the Hounds forward couldn't foil Sparks.  This would be the first of two similar chances he had on the night.

Before the period was over defender MAC CLUTSAM hustled back to knock the puck away from the Storm's Justin Auger but it was deemed he took away the scoring opportunity without touching the puck and a penalty shot was awarded.  NICHOLS was steady in-between the pipes on the shot and shut the door with a left pad save.

The Hounds outshot Guelph 19-12 in the second period but trailed 6-1.

Daniel Poliziani stepped around the Hounds defence and fired a wristshot past NICHOLS 7:30 into the third period, and the Storm limited any further scoring en-route to a 7-1 victory over the Hounds.

The Hounds record falls to 7 wins and 6 losses, good for 14 points.

The locals now head out on a three-game roadtrip with stops at Niagara (Thursday), at Erie (Friday) and at Guelph (Sunday afternoon).
Fans can catch all the action live with Sault Transit Greyhounds Hockey on Rock 101 (www.rock101.net)