They were looking for a better effort.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was a step in the right direction for the Soo Greyhounds, who rebounded from an opening game loss to beat the Hamilton Bulldogs 4-2 in game two of the Ontario Hockey League final Saturday night at the Essar Centre.
The Greyhounds got better as the game wore on and a pair of goals in the second period were the eventual difference for the Western Conference champions.
Saying he felt the Greyhounds “have a lot more to give,” Coach Drew Bannister said he was pleased with the final 40 minutes of the contest.
“We lacked execution in the first period and that’s probably why we spent a lot of time chasing the puck around,” Bannister said. “We played really well in the first parts of the third period. We really didn’t give up too much.”
“In the first period we were a little out of sync and our execution really wasn’t very good,” Bannister also said. “As the game went on, in the second and for two-thirds of the third period, we were really good.”
Goaltender Matthew Villalta was strong for the Greyhounds, making 36 saves, including 17 in the opening period when the Greyhounds were slow out of the gate.
“I felt nice and calm,” the sophomore netminder said. “I was tracking pucks. We got off to a slow start in the first and I had to make sure I was just taking it one shot at a time.”
“He made some key saves in the first period when they were pushing, and we weren’t very sharp to keep us in that game,” Bannister said. “He gave us an opportunity to get back into the game in the second and the third.”
Morgan Frost scored a pair of goals and assisted on another to pace the Greyhounds offensively. Conor Timmins assisted on a pair of goals. Barrett Hayton and Jack Kopacka also scored for the Greyhounds.
Brandon Saigeon had a goal and an assist for the Bulldogs. Mackenzie Entwistle also scored. Goaltender Kaden Fulcher made 30 saves.
Hamilton Coach John Gruden was pleased with the Bulldogs effort, despite the loss.
“I like the push back of our group,” Gruden said. “I thought we played better today than we did in game one.”
“We did a lot of good things tonight,” added Hamilton defenceman Riley Stillman.
“To come in here and split games was very important to us,” Stillman also said.
Gruden said he didn’t anticipate changing much ahead of game three though he expects a rebound after some surrendering a pair of power play goals in the game.
“They had two power play goals and the discipline of our team, those seem to be the ones that catch you and always end up in the back of your net,” Gruden said. “Our discipline has been really good in the playoffs.”
Game three is Monday night at FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton with game four on Wednesday night. Game five is back at the Essar Centre on Friday night. If necessary, game six is May 13 in Hamilton with game seven the following night in Sault Ste. Marie.