The Oshawa Generals shootout loss to the Sudbury Wolves on Sunday ended a competitive home game in which the Generals twice held the lead. Sudbury won 3-2 at the Tribute Communities Centre on October 25 after Artem Gonchar supplied the deciding goal in a six-round shootout.
Matthew Humphries made 28 saves through regulation and overtime for Oshawa, returning to the crease after his first career Ontario Hockey League shutout against Peterborough on Friday. At the other end, Paolo Frasca stopped every Generals attempt in the shootout to secure the Wolves’ victory.
Pape gives Oshawa an early advantage
The Generals opened the scoring a little more than four minutes into the first period. Harrison Franssen carried the puck through the neutral zone and found Jacob Therrien, who took the play below the goal line before setting up Mark Pape in front.
Pape finished the chance for his fifth goal of the season, according to the Generals’ official game report. The early goal rewarded a strong opening stretch for the home side, but penalties subsequently gave Sudbury opportunities to respond.
The Wolves received three first-period power plays. With just over three minutes remaining in the frame, Gonchar found Adam Nemec near the back post, and Nemec scored his fourth goal of the season to make it 1-1.
Late penalty shot erases second lead
Oshawa moved back in front after the midway point of the second period. Aiden O’Donnell helped move the puck out of the defensive zone to Pape, who advanced through the neutral zone and passed to Tyler Hinde after entering Sudbury’s end.
Hinde put his shot between Frasca’s pads for his sixth goal of the season. His finish restored the Generals’ one-goal advantage in a period the club described as relatively low on scoring chances.
That lead lasted until the closing seconds. Brady Murnane was called for putting his hand on the puck in Oshawa’s crease, giving Sudbury a penalty shot. Kash Kwajah converted with seven seconds left in the period, sending the teams into the second intermission tied 2-2.
Goaltenders keep the finish close
Neither club scored in the third period despite chances at both ends. Overtime also passed without a goal, leaving the result to be decided by individual attempts in the shootout.
All six Oshawa shooters were stopped by Frasca. Gonchar eventually beat Humphries to deliver the extra point to Sudbury and complete the 3-2 result. The Oshawa Generals shootout defeat followed Friday’s 5-0 home win over the Peterborough Petes; it was a separate game against a different opponent.
The Generals’ account identified Frasca’s goaltending and Oshawa’s time spent short-handed as important factors in the outcome. It also credited Humphries with another solid performance following his shutout two nights earlier.
Oshawa’s next scheduled game is a road meeting with the Brampton Steelheads on Friday night. The team’s official report and Daily Durham’s account agree on Sunday’s final score, the Oshawa goal scorers and the six-round shootout finish.
