Fergus Whalers nipped in overtime in semifinal opener

HANOVER – The Fergus Whalers surrendered a goal 4:46 into overtime as they were edged 4-3 by the Hanover Barons in the opening game of their best-of-seven Provincial Junior Hockey League Pollock Division semifinal Wednesday at Hanover’s P and H Centre.

After the teams scored once apiece in the first period, a pair of goals 24 seconds apart early in the second gave Fergus a 3-1 lead heading into the third.

However, the host Barons tied it with two goals in the third to force the overtime.

Jett Morningstar had a pair of goals for the Whalers while Zach Nault scored the other goal. Tyler Ewald assisted on a pair of goals while Kyle Parsons, Henry Turner, Ty Anselmini and Jacob Lesser each had one assist.

Hanover received goals from Alex McGillivray, Curtis Arnold, Aaron Dukeshire and Ryan Goetz. Kyle Maloney, Ryan Colquhoun and Joey Stimac each had two assists while Arnold and Drayton Howell had one apiece.

The Barons outshot the Whalers 33-28 and went 1-for-4 on their power play while Fergus went 2-for-7.

Bradley Boville had 29 saves for Fergus while Lander Hartley started and had 11 saves until being replaced by his younger brother Derek Hartley at 5:46 of the second period following the third goal of the game for the Whalers. Derek Hartley had 14 saves.

Hanover had finished atop the Pollock Division at the completion of the regular season while the Whalers were fourth, 29 points behind the Barons.

Second game of the series is slated for Friday at 8 p.m. at Hanover while the third game is scheduled for Sunday at 3:30 p.m. at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex in Fergus.

• Guelph Sports Journal