Owen Sound Attack secured a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory against the Soo Greyhounds on Sunday afternoon, marking a significant moment as both teams vie for the final playoff spot in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Western Conference. Cole Zurawski emerged as the hero, scoring the game-winning goal just 3 minutes and 55 seconds beyond regulation at the GFL Memorial Gardens.
Zurawski's decisive shot came from the left faceoff circle, eluding the Greyhounds' goalie Landon Miller. It marked his 12th goal of the season and capped off a remarkable comeback by the Attack, who had trailed 3-1 early in the third period. The game played out with intense pressure, especially as Owen Sound sought to improve their chances of qualifying for the playoffs.
“We started to look nervous with pucks in our own end,” said John Dean, head coach of the Greyhounds. “We started to throw pucks away and turn pucks over. We need to learn our lesson.” His sentiment captured the team's struggles as they attempted to maintain composure during the final minutes of regulation.
Initially, it appeared the Greyhounds were firmly in control of the game, having taken the lead with goals from Brady R. Smith, Christopher Brown, and Marco Mignosa. The Soo held significant advantages early, demonstrating strong offensive efforts and aggressive play.
The Greyhounds opened the scoring at 8:02 of the first period. After Smith capitalized on a strange bounce off the boards, he deftly knocked the puck home for his seventh of the season. They doubled their lead at 2:16 of the second period, courtesy of Brown’s wraparound goal, which caught Owen Sound goalie Carter George off guard.
Despite these early setbacks, Owen Sound began to claw their way back. At 3:38, Lenny Greenberg fired home his first goal of the season on the power play, cutting the deficit to 2-1. The momentum seemed to shift as the Attack began to mount pressure.
The turning point arrived midway through the third period when the Greyhounds had what seemed like the game under control at 3-1. After more physical play, Mignosa scored his 27th goal, extending the lead, only for it to slip away in the final ten minutes.
James Petrovski ignited the comeback at 10:17, scoring for Owen Sound with his shot from the blue line deflecting past Miller. The Attack continued their resurgence by equalizing at the 15:14 mark, with Pierce Mbuyi finding the back of the net following sustained offensive pressure by his team.
Dean could only look on as his team failed to execute down the stretch. “It’s difficult to swallow,” he mentioned, acknowledging the trend of losing leads, which has plagued the Greyhounds this season. This feeling of panic, he noted, often leads to mistakes: “If you panic on your skill and you lack confidence... positional panic will follow,” he added.
Scott Wray, head coach for Owen Sound, praised George’s performance, emphasizing how the goalie’s key saves kept them within reach of victory. “He was outstanding. There’s a reason he’s the best goalie in his age group. He’s special to watch,” Wray stated, reflecting on the contributions of his team’s netminder, who turned away 39 shots throughout the game.
Despite having only converted one power-play opportunity, the Attack managed just enough to outlast their opponents, who failed to capitalize on six power-play chances throughout the game—another stat highlighting their missed opportunities.
With this win, Owen Sound remains tied with the Greyhounds for the eighth and final playoff spot, both teams sitting at 20-30-4-3 and 22-32-2-1 respectively. This match has significant ramifications as they head toward the closing weeks of the regular season, with both hoping to secure momentum for the playoffs.
The Attack has regained vitality and confidence, especially following this come-from-behind victory. Conversely, the Greyhounds will need to resolve their issues, primarily focusing on reducing turnovers and maintaining composure through high-pressure situations.
Upcoming, the Greyhounds are set to host the North Bay Battalion, starting at 7:07 p.m. on Tuesday, where they will seek another opportunity to assert their playoff contention. Meanwhile, the Attack can revel in their victory as they analyze their next strategic elements to stay competitive in this tight playoff race.