Music: {allcanada} OHL: YAKUPOV SCORES TWICE AS STING DEFEAT STORM

Saturday, February 25, 2012

{allcanada} OHL: YAKUPOV SCORES TWICE AS STING DEFEAT STORM

Nail Yakupov doesn't like to settle with single point outings.

Yakupov scored two goals, including the game winner with three seconds remaining in regulation time, and set up one more as the Sarnia Sting defeated the visiting Guelph Storm 5-4 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action.

The 18-year-old right-winger has now registered 20 multi-point outings this season in only 37 games played.

Ryan Spooner had a goal and two assists for the Sting (31-21-7), who have won three of their last four games, while Reid Boucher and Ludvig Rensfeldt scored a goal and an assist each.

Francis Menard and Jason Dickinson each had a goal and an assist for the Storm (24-28-5) as Cody McNaughton and Zack Mitchell scored single goals.

JP Anderson made 29 saves for the win while Garret Sparks turned away 30 shots in defeat.

Sarnia went 2 for 5 on the power play as Guelph went 2 for 3.

Elsewhere in the OHL, it was: Kingston Erie; Belleville 3, London 2; Plymouth 4, Sudbury 1; Oshawa 3, Saginaw 2 (SO); Mississauga 2, Barrie 1; and Owen Sound 7, Kitchener 1.

At Sarnia, Ont., Mitchell opened the scoring 1:46 into the game and Menard added another at 7:24 to give Guelph a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.

Boucher put the Sting on the board with a power-play goal 1:01 into the second period but McNaughton restored a two-goal advantage for the Storm with a goal at 14:55, by way of the man advantage.

Sarnia opened the third period with three straight goals to take their first lead of the night.

Spooner scored on the power play at 5:17, Rensfeldt followed him up with a goal at 8:13 and then Yakupov added his first of the game 41 seconds later.

Dickinson tied the game 4-4 with a power-play goal at 10:38, however Yakupov scored the winner, and his second of the game at 19:57.

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Frontenacs 4 Otters 3

At Erie, Pa., Nathan Cull scored twice, including the game winner, as Kingston (19-34-6) picked up its first win in three outings by defeating the Otters (9-44-5).

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Bulls 3 Knights 2

At Belleville, Ont., Joseph Cramarossa scored once and set up the game winner while Malcolm Subban made 28 saves as the Bulls (29-28-1) edged London (43-14-1).

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Whalers 4 Wolves 1

At Plymouth, Mich., Scott Wedgewood stopped 42 shots, earning the game's first star, and Stefan Noesen scored his fourth goal in two games as the Whalers (39-17-3) beat Sudbury (31-22-5).

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Generals 3 Spirit 2 (SO)

At Saginaw, Mich., Scott Laughton scored once in regulation time and the only goal in the shootout while Kevin Bailie made 47 saves as Oshawa (27-27-6) halted its three-game losing streak by beating the Spirit (27-24-8).

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Majors 2 Colts 1

At Barrie, Ont., Brandon Maxwell made 38 saves and Jamie Wise scored the winner on the power play as Mississauga (27-25-7) snapped the Colts (34-21-4) five-game winning streak.

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Attack 7 Rangers 1

At Owen Sound, Ont., Mike Halmo scored once and set up two more goals and Gemel Smith chipped in with three assists as the Attack (30-23-7) crushed Kitchener (38-18-2), who lost for the first time in three outings.