OHL Roundup: Sparks sets new franchise mark for shutouts in a season

Garret Sparks set a new franchise record for shutouts in a season on Saturday as the Guelph Storm blanked the host Owen Sound Attack 5-0 in Ontario Hockey League play.

The 19-year-old Toronto Maple Leafs prospect turned aside 38 shots for his sixth shutout of the year, passing Thomas McCollum's mark of five that was set in the 2006-07 season. Sparks also moved into a tie for second in the OHL for wins this year with 25 and has gone 7-0-0 with a 1.43 goals-against average and .943 save percentage in the month of January.

Scott Kosmachuk scored twice for the Storm (28-14-5), who extended their win streak to seven games, and Tanner Richard had three assists.

Zac Leslie, Brock McGinn and Zack Mitchell also scored to round out Guelph's offence.

Gemel Smith was a team-worst minus-3 for the Attack (30-14-4), who also fell to the Storm 2-1 on Friday.

Jordan Binnington took the loss after allowing five goals on 30 shots through 51 minutes of game time. Brandon Hope replaced Binnington early in the third period and stopped all three shots he faced in relief.

Guelph went 2 for 6 on the power play while Owen Sound failed to score on five chances with the man advantage.

The victory moves the Storm within three points of the Attack for third place in the Western Conference.

Elsewhere in the OHL, it was: Kitchener 4, Erie 1; Saginaw 5, Niagara 4; Belleville 3, London 1; Plymouth 6, Sarnia 2; Sault Ste. Marie 6, Oshawa 4 and Barrie 4, Peterborough 1.

At Owen Sound, Ont., after a scoreless first period, Leslie opened the scoring 33 seconds into the second to give the Storm a 1-0 lead.

Kosmachuk and McGinn tacked on a goal apiece to make it 3-0 Guelph after 40 minutes of play, despite giving up 29 shots through the first two periods.

Mitchell made it 4-0 at 5:17 and Kosmachuk added another goal with the man advantage at 7:13.

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Rangers 4 Otters 1

At Erie, Pa., Jack Moylan stopped 27 shots for his first win of the season and Tobias Rieder and Brent Pedersen had a goal and an assist each as Kitchener (28-14-6) beat the Otters (15-26-8), who have dropped four games in a row.

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Spirit 5 IceDogs 4

At St. Catharines, Ont., Eric Locke and Jimmy Lodge each had a goal and two assists and Jake Paterson made 33 saves as Saginaw (24-20-5) handed the IceDogs (23-21-4) their sixth straight defeat.

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Bulls 3 Knights 1

At Belleville, Ont., Malcolm Subban stopped 22 shots while Joseph Cramarossa and Stephen Silas had a goal and an assist each as the Bulls (27-13-6) downed London (36-9-3).

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Whalers 6 Sting 2

At Plymouth, Mich., Mitchell Heard and Vincent Trocheck each had two goals and an assist and Matt Mahalak made 23 saves as the Whalers (25-14-9) beat Sarnia (27-18-3) for their third win in their last four outings.

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Greyhounds 6 Generals 4

At Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., Brandon Alderson scored three times and Michael Schumacher had two goals and an assist as the Greyhounds (26-19-4) won for the third time in four outings by downing Oshawa (27-18-4).

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Colts 4 Petes 1

At Barrie, Ont., Anthony Camara scored two goals and set up one more and Mathias Niederberger stopped 39-of-40 shots as the Colts (32-14-2) maintained top spot in the Eastern Conference by defeating Peterborough (14-27-7).