Thursday Highlights: Exciting endings

Thursday’s playoff action around the OHL wasn’t for the faint of heart.

Three of the five contests around the league came to an end in overtime as Oshawa’s Eric Henderson, Barrie’s Justin Scott and Sault Ste. Marie’s Gabe Guertler played the hero in thrilling victories for their respective clubs.

The Soo Greyhounds took a 3-1 series lead on overage centreman Gabe Guertler’s double overtime deflection. The Hounds had a 40-save performance from Brandon Halverson to outlast Sarnia 3-2, sealing the victory on Guertler’s tip of a Gustav Bouramman point shot on the powerplay at 7:24 of the fifth period.

Henderson kept the Generals alive, beating Kingston’s Lucas Peressini from a low percentage angle for a 4-3 victory to send the series back to Kingston for Game 5 on Friday.

Scott pumped in four goals for the Barrie Colts whose late game surge brought them back from a 5-3 deficit to take a 6-5 win 4:46 into overtime. The Colts tie the series 2-2 as Scott netted his fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh goals of the postseason.

Here’s the full rundown from Thursday’s exciting playoff action around the OHL.

 

SAULT STE. MARIE 3 SARNIA 2 2OT
SSM leads series 3-1
The Soo Greyhounds have placed themselves in the driver’s seat with a 3-1 series lead on the West Division champion Sarnia Sting after Gabe Guertler redirected a Gustav Bouramman point shot home for the winner 7:24 into the second overtime of Game 4. The Plantation, Florida native continued his strong series, lifting the Hounds over the Sting on home ice while goaltender Brandon Halverson made 40 saves to earn first star honours. New Jersey Devils prospects Blake Speers and Colton White also had markers while Devils first rounder Pavel Zacha scored for Sarnia who also had a goal and an assist from Matt Mistele in the loss. The Greyhounds converted on their third powerplay of overtime, sending the series back to Sarnia for Game 5 on Saturday. The Sting remained without standout forward Travis Konecny in Thursday’s loss.
GAME CENTRE • HIGHLIGHTS

OSHAWA 4 KINGSTON 3 OT
KGN leads series 3-1
The Oshawa Generals resurrected from down 3-0, getting four unanswered goals capped off by an Eric Henderson overtime winner for a 4-3 victory. Michael Dal Colle, Juho Lammikko and Jared Steege lifted the Kingston Frontenacs to a three-goal cushion before the Generals stormed back with three second period powerplay goals from Lukas Lofquist, Anthony Cirelli and Jalen Smereck. Kingston outshot Oshawa 14-5 in the third period, but solid goaltending from Jeremy Brodeur forced overtime where Henderson was the hero 3:02 into the fresh period, sneaking a low percentage shot past Lucas Peressini from along the goal line. The Generals had a 43-save performance from Brodeur in goal to force a Game 5 on Friday in Kingston.
GAME CENTRE • HIGHLIGHTS

BARRIE 6 MISSISSAUGA 5 OT
Series tied 2-2
Justin Scott struck for a natural hat-trick, putting the Barrie Colts on his back in a 6-5 overtime victory as the overage veteran buried the winner 4:46 into the extra frame. Barrie overcame a 5-3 deficit to knot their best-of-seven series with the Mississauga Steelheads at two wins apiece, getting three assists from Kevin Labanc and a goal and an assist from rearguard Rasmus Andersson. The Colts overcame a strong Steelheads performance from top NHL Draft prospect Alexander Nylander who had two goals and an assist while Daniel Muzito-Bagenda scored twice and Michael McLeod had a goal and two helpers. The Colts also prevailed without the services of injured netminder MacKenzie Blackwood, who gave way to David Ovsjannikov who made 29 saves in his absence.  Game 5 of this wild Central Division clash goes Saturday up the 400 in Barrie.
GAME CENTRE • HIGHLIGHTS

NORTH BAY 2 PETERBOROUGH 0
Series tied 2-2
After surrendering an uncharacteristic seven goals in an overtime loss on Tuesday, the North Bay Battalion got back to their signature tight defensive style on Thursday as Jake Smith made 29 saves to record the shutout in a 2-0 victory in Peterborough. The Troops knot the series 2-2 behind goals from Peterborough native Jacob Ball and big rearguard Riley Bruce. Peterborough goaltender Matthew Mancina turned aside 32 of the 34 shots he faced to keep his club in the game. A series that has featured a few different looks thus far ranging from high octane offence to shutdown defence, Game 5 in North Bay on Friday will give us our next glimpse of what’s in store.
GAME CENTRE • HIGHLIGHTS

ERIE 6 SAGINAW 4
ER wins series 4-0
The Erie Otters have swept a first round series for the first time in franchise history as Dylan Strome had two goals and an assist in a 6-4 victory in Saginaw. With veteran netminder Devin Williams unable to go, rookie Jake Lawr stepped in and turned aside 22 shots to earn his first OHL playoff victory while Travis Dermott and Darren Raddysh each chipped in on the scoresheet with a goal and an assist each. The Otters sped out of the gate, taking a 4-0 lead before the Spirit fought back with goals from Kirill Maksimov, Connor Brown (2) and Mitchell Stephens. Erie took the shooting column 41-26, outscoring the Spirit 24-11 in the series. The Otters are the OHL’s first club to punch their ticket to the second round.
GAME CENTRE • HIGHLIGHTS

 

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