GAME 4 PREVIEW: COME TOGETHER
PHOTO: TIM CORNETT
windsorspitfires.com staff reports
Roman Berdnikov’s breakaway goal stood up as the winner Monday night, as the Owen Sound Attack took a 3-1 lead in the Rogers Western Conference final, with a 3-2 win at the WFCU Centre.
The teams exchanged first period power play goals – Robby Mignardi for the visitors at 6:36, then Tom Kuhnhackl’s 10th of the playoffs, on a bullet slapshot, at 15:59.
The second period was all about Jack Campbell, who made 22 saves in the frame, including an outstanding glove save off Andrew Shaw just shy of the nine-minute mark.
Jack’s handywork was the sole reason the Spits headed to the room tied at 1-1 after 40 minutes.
“I thought they outplayed us and if not for Jack things could have been a lot worse,” head coach Bob Jones said at the post-game press conference.
It didn’t take the Attack long to take a lead in the third.
A Roman Berdnikov shot, kicked out by Campbell, bounced right onto the stick of Garrett Wilson, who potted the rebound into an empty net for a 2-1 lead at 2:52.
Berdnikov extended the lead to 3-1 just past the midway mark. After Adrian Robertson whiffed on a keep-in attempt at the Owen Sound blueline, the speedy Russian flew down the left wing, scooped up the puck and swooped in alone, beating Jack high glove side.
With Campbell on the bench, creating a 6-on-4 advantage, Tom Kuhnhackl’s second of the game cut the lead to 3-2 at 17:23.
Shaw’s goaltender interference penalty at 18:40 gave the Spits another power play, and another 6-on-4 with Campbell pulled again. But the Spits couldn’t find the equalizer.
Windsor now faces elimination on Wednesday night in Owen Sound.
If necessary, Game Six will be played back at the WFCU Centre on Friday night.
More to follow …
SCORING
FIRST PERIOD
OS Mignardi, (9) (Hishon, Wilson), 6:36 (PP), WSR Kuhnhackl, (10) (Carrick, Carnevale), 15:59 (PP)
SECOND PERIOD
No Scoring
THIRD PERIOD
OS Wilson, (8) (Berdnikov, Hishon), 2:52, OS Berdnikov, (6) (Blacker), 10:24, WSR Kuhnhackl, (11) (Carrick), 17:23 (PP)
SHOTS
WINDSOR: 13 – 6 – 11 = 30, OWEN SOUND: 10 – 22 – 12 = 44
PPS
WINDSOR: 2-FOR-5, OWEN SOUND: 1-FOR-3
