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League News
Elks enhance playoff hopes
Pictou squeezes by the Strait and clinch a playoff berth…….Liverpool despite OT loss still clinch a playoff berth in Brookfield….The following is a run down on play Tuesday night in the NSJHL…
Brookfield 4 Liverpool 3
Noah Latimer’s goal in sudden-death overtime with only 1:20 left in the five-minute period provided the Elks with a 4-3 win Tuesday evening at the Don Henderson Memorial Sportsplex in Brookfield. The Privateers clinched because they already have 14 wins, the most Sackville and Brookfield can earn are 14 wins this season. When you look at the second tie-break for playoff positioning, the Privateers finished the season 4-2-0 against Sackville and 3-2-1 against the Elks to win both season series. If you go one step more, the Privateers would be a +1 against the Elks having outscored them 17-16 in six regular season games and with a 4-2-0 record against the Blazers if both the Blazers and Privateers finish with 14 wins and 31 points for example, the Privateers wn the season series against the Blazers going 4-2-0 while outscoring the Blazers 25-20 in their six regular season games for a +5.
As for Tuesday’s game, Zach Evans of Liverpool and Ben Fraser from the Elks scored goals in the first period before Liverpool jumped in front 3-2 after forty minutes on goals from Malcom Bussey and Alec Howie while Fraser scored his 2nd of the game for the Elks. In the tird period, it was only 19 seconds old when Brookfield tied it on a goal from Sam MacNeill. After 60 minutes, the teams were deadlocked 3-3 until Latimer’s overtime winner. Sam Rogers picked up a pair of assists for the Elks in their win and Brookfield outshot the Privateers 36-32. The Elks now travel to Windsor Wednesday night Feb 22nd for an 8:15 start. This a make-up game from last Friday when poor weather kept some teams from travelling. The Elks close their season Saturday afternoon in Brookfield against East Hants.
Pictou 3 Port Hawkesbury 2
The win by the Scotians guaranteed them a playoff spot. Despite having three games remaining to play, the Membertou Jr. Miners concluded their regular season this past weekend and could only finish 12-14-4. The big question now is who will finish in third place in the Sid Rowe Division and avoid the powerful Antigonish Jr. Bulldogs in the opening round. The third place finisher might go down to the bitter end as the Strait and Scotians collide Sunday evening in Trenton. In the meantime, the Scotians play at home to Cumberland Thursday evening and travel to Eskasoni Saturday night. The Strait Pirates will need some help to finish third as the Scotians have two games in hand on the Strait. If they do finish tied in points and wins, Pictou would still squeeze out third as they hold a 4-1-0 record in the five regular season games played between the clubs while having outscored the Strait 25-16 for a +9.
As for Tuesday’s action, Jack Cameron had a strong game in nets for the Scotians stopping 42 of 44 shots. There was no scoring in the opening period before the Scotians went up 2-0 after forty minutes on goals from Thomas Kennally and Zach Houston. Jason Johnson then brought the Strait to within a goal and with about two minutes left in regulation, the Strait pulled their goaltender Keegan Greencorn but it did not pay off as Ethan Elms put one into an empty net for the Scotians for the game winner with 1:16 left. It proved to be the game winner as Danny Gillis then scored for the Strait with only 21 seconds remaining to make the final 3-2. Tremendous and exhilarating hockey remains as the regular season concludes on Sunday and it appears we will not know who is playing who until almost the final whistle.