A disappointing Friday night at the Sleeman Centre as the Storm fell behind early and never recovered on their way to a 5-2 loss versus the Saginaw Spirit.

Heading into the contest, five teams were separated by only five points in the chase for four playoff spots... three hours later the gap closed to four points between the five.  For Guelph the loss is certainly costly as they fall from a tie for sixth into a tie for eighth as Saginaw and the Spitfires earned victories along with the Soo Greyhounds.

Former Storm pick Carlos Amestoy opened the scoring with an ugly goal just 86 seconds in.  After a collision sent Garret Sparks rolling from his net, Amestoy easily sailed his third of the year into the open cage.  Near the midway point of the stanza, Guelph had a chance to even the score when Tanner Richard was awarded a penalty shot while killing a Justin Auger minor.  Instead after Richard failed to slide it between Clint Windsor's legs, the visitors added a powerplay marker to take a two goal lead.  Before the end of the period, the Spirit added two more to take a 4-0 lead into the break.

In the second, Guelph had a few more chances to get on the board, but couldn't solve Windsor until Zack Mitchell banged in his team leading 27th with the man advantage at 14:45.  The teams would exchange goals in the final twenty with Vincent Trocheck and Andrey Pedan connecting to leave the Saginaw lead at three at the end of regulation. 

The Storm will hit the road for five in a row beginning Sunday in Oshawa.  Following a Tuesday visit to Kitchener, Guelph will head to Ottawa, Belleville and Kingston next weekend.  Two weeks from today on Friday, February 17th, projected first overall pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft Nail Yakupov and the Sarnia Sting visit the Sleeman Centre then three days later on the Family Day Holiday, the Kitchener Rangers will visit for a 2 pm puck drop.

Saginaw Spirit 5 at Guelph Storm 2 - Status: End of Game
Friday, February 3, 2012 - Sleeman Centre

Saginaw 4 0 1 - 5
Guelph 0 1 1 - 2

1st Period-1, Saginaw, Amestoy 3 (Locke), 1:26. 2, Saginaw, Young 4 (Archibald, Trocheck), 10:21 (PP). 3, Saginaw, Trocheck 24   12:20. 4, Saginaw, Kea 3 (Ringuette), 18:19. Penalties-Kea Sag (fighting), 8:47; Auger Gue (check to the head, fighting), 8:47; Horvat Gue (high sticking), 12:39; Webermin Sag (slashing), 15:27.

2nd Period-5, Guelph, Mitchell 27 (Finn, Menard), 14:45 (PP). Penalties-Webermin Sag (roughing), 12:54.

3rd Period-6, Saginaw, Trocheck 25 (Saad, Walch), 2:41 (PP). 7, Guelph, Pedan 7 (Menard, Mitchell), 10:18. Penalties-Menard Gue (hooking), 0:45; Lodge Sag (tripping), 3:49; Moutrey Sag (check to the head), 12:37; Walch Sag (tripping), 12:37; Fine Sag (hooking), 18:41.

Shots on Goal-Saginaw 16-6-1-23. Guelph 8-14-1-23.
Power Play Opportunities-Saginaw 2 / 3; Guelph 1 / 6.
Goalies-Saginaw, Windsor 10-5-1-2 (23 shots-21 saves). Guelph, Sparks 18-14-1-2 (23 shots-18 saves).