The Alliston Hornets and Essex 73's are now tied at two games apiece after four games of the Schmalz Cup Jr. C best of seven championship series. The 73's took a 4-2 win over the Hornets tonight (Tues., April 29) at the New Tecumseth Recreation Complex.
First Period
The Alliston Hornets' Jeff McCarty took a two-minute minor for roughing just 31 seconds into the game to give Essex the man advantage they've been hankering for, but the Hornets burned it off.
Then Essex's Chris Warren took a two-minute minor for hooking 3:07 into the game turning the tables and putting the Hornets up a man. That was followed quickly by another Essex penalty against Anthony Iaquinta for high sticking 13 seconds later to put the Hornets up by two men for almost a full two minutes.
But then Alliston's Kyle McPherson was called for a high stick of his own just a minute later to cut the five on three short and even up the penalties to both sides. It was all a wash though as neither side was able to capitalize from any of the powerplays.
Essex's Wes Tan gave his team a big opening goal just past the eight-minute mark into play off a pass from A.J. Sweet to make it 1-0. Hornet netminder Jon Porretta met him halfway to the blueline on a breakaway, but Tan just skated around the sprawling goalie and scored on the wide-open empty net.
The two squads tightened up their play after the initial penalties and certainly after Essex's opening goal, but then Tanner Gallant of the 73's got sloppy and took two minutes for roughing just past 12 minutes into play.
That opened the door wide for the Hornets' Zenon Byblow to fire in the powerplay marker off assists from points-leaders Robbie Rutledge and Ryan Algar to tie it up. It was a beautiful wrap-around shot from Byblow that Essex netminder Branden Robiltaille didn't even see go in, much less have a chance to stop.
The Hornets' Jason Campeau took two minutes for roughing with 7:35 left in the opening frame and it took Essex less than a minute to convert that into a powerplay goal as Dan Croft scored off Mike Roach and Iaquinta at 14:09 to make it 2-1 for the 73's headed to the bottom of the frame. The goal came as the result of a little game of "pile on Porretta", but ithe light went on it counted to give the 73's the lead again.
The first period ended with Essex maintaining a 2-1 lead. Shots on net are a low 6-5 for Essex and the penalties are even as would be expected in a championship series with both teams suffering six minutes for three minors.
Second Period
Two minutes and 43 seconds into the second frame, Essex's Gabe Gervais made good on a pass from Nick Mariani to give the 73's a two-goal cushion.
Alliston's Brandon Elliott took a two-minute minor for slashing with 3:25 left in the second period. to give them yet another powerplay opportunity. Incredibly, it was the first penalty of more than 16 minutes of the second frame. Essex's Cory Hamilton would add the second with 2:09 left on the clock as he was called for hooking.
Shots remained low at the bottom of the second with the totals just 10-8 still in the 73's favour. Just the two, two-minute minors in the frame as Alliston heads to the third trailing 3-1.
Third Period
The Alliston Hornets haven't scored less than three goals in a game since they began their run fo r the cup after taking the Georgian Bay title, but they're sure having a hard time finding their way around Robitaille in the Essex net in this one.
Elliott took a kneeing penalty eight seconds into the third to virtually eliminated any chance the Hornets had for a quick goal to bring them closer as the third period got underway. The Alliston peanlty-killers burned another one off, then Essex's Iaquinta took two minutes for handling the puck just past the four-minute mark.
The ice is opening up though with the shots for the third frame already 7-2 for Essex just over five minutes in.
The Hornets' Algar took a cross-checking penalty just prior to the seven-minute mark into the final frame.
With 10 minutes left in the game, the 73's are continuing to outshoot the Hornets with the totals now 20 to 13 in Essex's favour.
Alliston's Kyle McPherson scored from Rutledge and Kyle McDowell with 4:44 left to play to bring them within one, but then Essex's Gervais nullified the marker off passes from Mariani, and Hamilton less than a minute later to make it 4-2. Final shots on net were 21-19 for Essex.
The clocked ticked down and that's the way the game ended as it's now down to a best of three and the 73's have regained the home-ice advantage.
Game five is back in Essex on Thurs., May 3 at 6:30 p.m. Game six is slated for Sat., May 3 in Alliston at the New Tecumseth Recreation Centre at 6:30 p.m. and game seven could be played Sun., May 4 back in Essex at 7:30 p.m. if necessary.
