The Guelph Storm dressed a depleted lineup in their 3-2 loss to the Owen Sound Attack at the Bayshore Community Centre on Tuesday night.
Guelph was without Isaac Ratcliffe, Daniil Chayka, Barrett Kirwin, Tag Bertuzzi, Mark Woolley and Dom Commisso.
Bertuzzi, Woolley and Commisso were injured, Kirwin was suspended, while Ratcliffe and Chayka are with their national teams.
Luka Profaca, Ben McFarlane and Matt Papai were called up to a lineup that only had 18 players on the bench.
The Attack were without Montreal Canadien’s top prospect Nick Suzuki who was with Ratcliffe at Team Canada’s World Junior camp in British Columbia.
The Storm opened up a 2-0 lead in the first period thanks to goals from Nate Schnarr and Liam Hawel, but Owen Sound responded with three of their own, including the game-winner from Kaleb Pearson.
Anthony Popovich made 36 saves for the Storm.
Guelph now sits in fifth place in the OHL’s Western Conference standings.
A three-in-three weekend awaits them, beginning with the Peterborough Petes at the Sleeman Centre on Friday.
Guelph will then host Mississauga on Saturday in their annual Teddy Bear Toss game, followed by a meeting with the Generals in Oshawa on Sunday.
Larry Mellott will call all three games live on 1460 CJOY.