A quadruple OT Thriller in East Hants —
Another OT in Liverpool
Superlative goaltending throughout regulation and then four overtime periods in a game that lasted 113.42 before the East Hants Penguins Devin Meagher scored his 5th of the 21-22 NSJHL Playoffs and provide the Penguins with a 3-2 win and a four-game sweep over the Sackville Blazers. Grant Sanford for the winners stopped 63 of 65 shots in the 113.42 while Bryson Uberoi stopped 79 of 82 shots in a game that will have fans in Lantz and those who watched it virtually on their computer screen talking years down the road. The teams were tied 1-1 after twenty minutes with Bruen Fisher scoring for the Pens and Daniel Surrette for the Blazers 1:11 apart in the second half of the opening frame. There was no scoring in the second but Brody Fraser put the Pens in front 2-1 before David Purdy tied it for the Blazers with 7:10 left in regulation. That was all the scoring until the fourth overtime period and Meagher’s goal but there was plenty of exhilarating plays and sensational goaltending which kept fans on their edge of their seats until Meagher’s goal. East Hants won three games in the series by the skin of their teeth 3-1, 3-1 and 3-2, those all came after the Pens roasted the Blazers 10-4 in the series opener giving the Pens a 19-7 goals advantage in the four games. East Hants will now await the winner of the Capstone-Liverpool series which the Colts lead 3-0 in order to see who they will play in the Fred Fox Divisional Final.
Capstone 2 Liverpool 1
The Colts will be coming back at C.F.B. Shearwater for the fourth game of their divisional semi-final with the Privateers tonight. A win by the Colts will give them a four-game sweep and a berth in the Fox Divisional Finals against East Hants. Friday night in Liverpool, Malcom Bussey opened the game’s scoring for the Privateers 52 seconds into the second period but it was the only goal they were to score as co-Rookie-of-the-Year Copper Puma tallied for the Colts and the game was tied 1-1 after forty minutes. It stayed that way until Stephen Warwick’s goal 1:07 into the first overtime period to provide the colts with their win. If a 5th game becomes necessary, it will be played in Liverpool Sunday evening as Hockey Nova Scotia’s Appeal Committee has still not dealt with an appeal originating from Game 1 and the bad ice which forced Postponement of Game 1 after forty minutes with the Colts leading 4-0.
Port Hawkesbury Strait Pirates 3 Antigonish 2
The 5th game of this series now goes back to Antigonish Sunday night after the Pirates tied it at 2 games apiece at home Friday night in a 3-2 squeaker. Matthew Ellis and Sam Grant scored late first period goals before the Pirates Jack Neilsen scored the lone fo the second period for the Pirates and put them up 2-1 over forty minutes. Matthew Raike tallied the game winner for the Pirates with 11:57 to play in regulation. Sam Mattie added a second goal for the Jr. Bulldogs with under 5 minutes to play but the Bulldogs despite outshooting the Pirates 43-25 could tie the game up.
Membertou — Pictou
The Jr. Miners and Scotians were all dressed and warming up on the ice for Game 5 of their series with the Jr. Miners leading 3-1 but shortly before the official start of the game, both teams were notified there were no officials assigned to the game and the game PPD. It now moves Game 5 back to Trenton Sunday night for a 6:00 p.m. start.