The OHL playoffs do not start until completion of March, yet the ambience inside the Sleeman Centre in Guelph, Ont., Friday evening definitely seemed like it.

The Guelph Tornado held up against a third duration rally by the seeing Flint Firebirds and hung on for a 5-4 victory in front of an introduced crowd of 4,291.

” It was a challenging game, kind of felt like a playoff game,” said Tornado ahead Ben McFarlane that completed with one goal and two aids on the evening.

The win moves the Storm (23-21-4-1) one factor ahead of the Firebirds (23-25-3-1) for 6th place in the western meeting.

Guelph got off to a 2-0 initial duration lead on objectives by Cooper Walker and also McFarlane.

Flint answered back 64 seconds into the 2nd duration thanks to Braeden Kressler’s 24th on the season to make it 2-1 for the Tornado.

With Guelph up 3-1, the Storm were down two guys and the Firebirds used stress on Tornado netminder Patrick Leaver.

But Leaver, who finished with 30 conserves, stood high making some big stops that permitted Guelph to kill off both penalties.

” In some cases I take charge kills as a difficulty,” claimed Leaver. “They could of have actually obtained a lot of momentum from that but we had a great kill and also the children have been playing well.”

Down 4-1 midway with the 3rd period, Tristen Bertucci racked up twice 4:36 apart to offer Flint some life and route Guelph 4-3. Yet that was close as the Firebirds got to tying the video game.

” Beginning of the year, we probably wouldn’t have actually been able to (handle the difficulty),” McFarlane claimed. “Yet throughout the year, we’ve expanded as a team personality-wise, come a great deal closer, discovered when to dig in deep, and just how to play with each other.”

Will Cranley made 24 conserves in the loss for the Firebirds.

Both groups had lots of opportunities with the guy benefit however Guelph handled only one objective on 7 chances. Flint additionally scored one on eight chances.

The next ready the Tornado is Saturday evening when they invite the Midwest Division leading London Knights.

You can catch the video game on 1460 CJOY with the pregame show at 6:45 p.m. The opening face off will certainly go to 7 p.m.