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Kline scores in OT
Daniel Kline taking a pass at centre ice from Brandon Rideout, streaked down Antigonish goalie Adam Tkacz’s right hand side and with pressure on him wheeled and put a back-hand shot into the upper left-side of the Antigonish net to give the South Shore Lumberjacks a 2-1 sudden-death overtime victory over the Antigonish Jr. Bulldogs Friday evening in Bridgewater. The goal came only 1:50 into sudden-death and after a third period in which Tkacz was tested on numerous occasions as the Lumberjacks outshot the Bulldogs 15-8 and 38-37 overall. The Lumberjacks playing before a standing room only crowd at the South Shore Sport and Lifestyle Complex played exceptional on the power-play in the third period, at one point outshooting the Bulldogs 9-4 in the opening nine minutes of the third.
With 1:52 to play in regulation, it appeared for a brief second that the Bulldogs might have scored the go-ahead goal in the 1-1 hockey game as Venel Campbell missed by the narrowest of margins. Campbell’s shot went directly on Keegan Greencorn’s pads and while being lost in a scramble momentarily, the referee was properly positioned to see that the puck never crossed the goal line. Campbell who logged tremendous ice-time once again fr the Bulldogs also missed another chance in the third when he was about to break in before a super poke check by Nolan Greenlaw prevented him from getting off an excellent scoring opportunity.
The scoring opportunities were simply too many to mention in this one write-up as both goaltenders played phenomenal hockey. It also must be said that Aaron Lane and Joe Osborne also played stand-out games for the Lumberjacks. Lane it appeared at times that he never left the ice.
The only goals in regulation came slightly less than 3 minutes apart in the second period when the Bulldogs Zachary Lorette connected for his fourth goal in three games in this championship series before Brennan Coleman scored on the power-play for the Lumberjacks on an assist from Alec Howie, who had been coming off a four point afternoon in Game 2 Easter Sunday afternoon in Antigonish when the Lumberjacks won 5-3.
One power-play mid-way through the second saw the Lumberjacks dominate while pressing exceptionally hard to score. Howie and Coleman did everything but put the puck in the net on one tremendous opportunity. Also in the second, Lorette prior to his goal let an inferno shot go from the blue line which Greencorn stopped off of his chest protector. The Bulldogs Nick Marshall was helped from the ice after suffering a leg injury with 6:04 to play in the second.
The second period began with unbelievable end to end with the Bulldogs missing in close on a 2 on 1 and Logan McGrath missing twice close in for the Bulldogs. The Bulldogs also shined on the power-play in the second but could not connect for a power-play marker while Owen Osborne was serving a boarding penalty for the home team. During this stretch, the Bulldogs kept the puck in the Lumberjacks zone for 1:50 and had two superb scoring chances which Greencorn turned away.
Kline and Rideout went in 2 on 1 but Rideout decided to hang onto the puck and saw his shot turned away by Tkacz. The hockey would have any fan sitting on the edge of their seats at all times. As an example with the Lumberjacks forced to kill a penalty in the opening period, a Lumberjacks player played without his stick for 35 seconds and deflected one Bulldog shot of his shin-pads to keep the game scoreless.
Lorette prior to opening the game’s scoring missed an incredible opportunity in the first as he broke in at the last minute only to be stymied by Greencorn. The Lumberjacks only 46 seconds into the game went on the penalty kill and the Bulldogs pressed hard outshooting the home team 5-0.
Game 4 goes Saturday afternoon at the Lifestyle Centre at 3:00 p.m. and fans are urged to arrive early as an hour before Friday’s game, parking was hard to secure unless folks wanted some great exercise as cars were parked up and down side streets near the Lifestyle centre.
Game 5 goes next Friday evening April 12th in Antigonish at 7:30 p.m.