The Guelph Storm managed to get things back on track with a 5-2 victory over the Saginaw Spirit in Game 3 of the OHL‘s Western Conference Championship series.
Cedric Ralph scored the game-winning goal as Anthony Popovich made 20 saves in Monday’s win at the Sleeman Centre which came after the Storm dropped the first two games in Saginaw.
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Zach Roberts, Isaac Ratcliffe, Nate Schnarr and Keegan Stevenson also scored for Guelph.
Owen Tippett and Reagan O’Grady scored for the Spirit, but Tristan Lennox kept his team in the game by making 41 saves in the loss.
Saginaw was forced to turn to the 16-year-old Cambridge native after goaltender Ivan Prosvetov was suspended for five games for batting the puck into the stands during a stop in play in Game 2.
Spirit defenceman Justin Murray was also missing after being suspended for four games for a hit to MacKenzie Entwistle’s head in the previous contest.
WATCH: Spirit goaltender Tristan Lennox made 41 saves in a losing effort on Monday night
Monday’s game began with some excellent saves at each end before Roberts tipped Fedor Gordeev’s shot past Lennox late in the first period.
Ratcliffe put the Storm up 2-0 less than a minute into the second period on a shot from the top of the right-wing circle that found the back of the net.
With Lennox making save after save, the Spirit started their comeback when Tippett snuck one by Popovich.
After yet another save by their netminder, the Spirit’s counterattack saw O’Grady finish off a nifty passing play to even things up at 2-2.
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But Guelph took over in the third period, starting with Ralph tipping a pass from Sean Durzi for the eventual game-winner.
A slapshot from the blue line on a Storm powerplay hit Schnarr standing in front of Lennox and went in at 12:58.
Stevenson added the empty-net goal to seal the win for the Storm.
Game 4 of the series is set for Wednesday night in Guelph. Larry Mellott will have the call on 1460 CJOY at 7 p.m.
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