Tough hit, tough weekend for Gens
Generals drop two straight
Daniel Robertson lays a hit on Jake Bricknell of the Hamilton Bulldogs. A strong offensive surge in the first period would lead to a 6-3 victory for the Generals. However, the weekend went downhill for Oshawa.
By Joel Wittnebel/The Oshawa Express
It was a tough weekend for the Oshawa Generals who, after starting off strong with a 6-3 win over the Hamilton Bulldogs, allowed leads in consecutive games to dissolve ending in back-to-back losses.
Following Friday’s offensive onslaught at the General Motors Centre, which saw a pair of goals from captain Michael Dal Colle, and one each from Sullivan Sparkes, Kenny Huether, Sam Harding and Matt Latin, Oshawa travelled to Saginaw on Nov. 7.
Lukas Lofquist got things started for the Generals against the Spirit in the first.
Saginaw responded early in the second to tie the game, but Dal Colle found the back of the net on a shorthanded opportunity to give the lead back to Oshawa.
However, once again, Saginaw responded to cut the lead.
Dominic Commisso was able to put the Generals back out in front on the power play, but before the second frame was over, Saginaw was able to even the score.
The third period saw both teams on defensive lockdown with only a few shots. It wasn’t until late in the third that Saginaw broke Oshawa’s defences and took their first lead of the game.
And it was the only lead that mattered as they took the game 4-3.
The next night, Oshawa travelled to Flint to take on the Firebirds, and the result was much like the game against Saginaw.
After two periods, the score was tid at 1-1 with Commisso netting the lone Oshawa marker.
However, the third period saw goals from Joe Mancurek and Michael Dal Colle to give the Generals a 3-1 lead.
Oshawa would watch the lead disappear in the second half of the frame as Flint notched back to back goals to send the game to OT and eventually a shootout.
Despite the efforts of Mitch Vande Sompel to push the shootout into extra shooters, Oshawa would come up short, losing the game 4-3.
The come from behind win for Flint would not be the newsmaker of the night however.
After the victory, Firebirds owner Rolf Nilsen fired his entire coaching staff reportedly over disputes that his son Hakon Nilsen, a member of the club, was not getting enough ice time.
The move caused a number of players to hold an impromptu strike, telling the owner they were quitting the team.
The move caused an uproar in the hockey world and on Monday afternoon, the coaching staff was hired back and offered new contracts.