Jonathan Maillet For the Journal
The Sarnia Sting would score early and often Friday night, as they handed the Soo Greyhounds their first loss this season in a 7-4 final at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena.
Sarnia improved their record to 2-2-0, while the Greyhounds dropped to 3-1-0. Sting goalie Ben Gaudreau got his first start since returning from the Tampa Bay Lighting camp, making 19 saves in the win.
The Sarnia Sting offense was clicking as Marko Sikic scored a hat trick and added an assist, while Jacob LeBlanc had 3 assists, including his 50th career point, and Daylen Moses scored twice.
All three were named stars of the game.
Sikic got things rolling just 37 seconds into the game to give Sarnia an early 1-0 lead, his first of two goals in the first. It was lead they wouldn’t give up, as by the end of the first period Sarnia led 4-2. Roman Kukemberg and Mitch Young had the other goals in the first, each netting their second of the season.
Moses would score his first of the season at 8:03 of the second period; Owen MacDonald and Ryan Brown picked up the assist, on what was credited as the game winning goal. Lane Sim would notch his first career OHL point, assisting on Sikic’s third of the game, fourth of the season to give Sarnia a 6-2 lead.
The Greyhounds scored twice in the third, but the Sarnia lead was too much. Moses finished the scoring — his second of the game and season — as the Sting finished with a 7-4 win.
Sarnia scored twice on three chances with the man advantage, while the Hounds converted two of their five chances. Sarnia had the edge in shots in this one, 25-23.
The Sting wrap up the weekend on the road in Windsor Saturday afternoon, marking the second meeting between the two teams. The Sting won 8-2 over the Spits in the season opener.
Puck drops at 4:05pm at the WFCU Centre in Windsor.