Minto 81’s use power play to grab 2-0 lead in series
SEAFORTH – The Minto 81’s turned on their power play to slip by the Seaforth Centenaires 5-4 in overtime in the second game of their best-of-seven quarter-final series Saturday at the Seaforth and District Community Centre.
The 81’s scored four power-play goals in the game including the winner by Riley Cribbin at 14:35 of overtime.
Minto had forced the game into extra time with a power-play goal by Jordan Delaurier with 2:28 to go in regulation time.
Kyle Heintzner of the 81’s had scored twice in the first four minutes of the game, but Seaforth came back to tie it at 2-2 by the end of the first period with a pair of power-play goals of its own 19 seconds apart in the final two minutes of the opening stanza.
The Centenaires led 4-3 at the end of the second.
Adam Kawalec scored the other goal for the 81’s while Klayton Hoelscher had three assists, Blair Butchart and Blake Nichol had two apiece and Cribbin and Shawn Lantz each had one.
Carter Collinson, Sheldon Pryce, Holdyn Lansink and Drew Gross had a goal apiece for Seaforth. Gross, Reuben Smith, Braydon Blight and Jamie Huber each had one assist.
Seaforth outshot Minto 44-41 and went 3-for-9 on its power play while the 81’s went 4-for-11. The 81’s were assessed 20 minutes in penalties in the game while Seaforth was whistled for 64 including two 10-minute misconducts and two game misconducts.
The win gives Minto a 2-0 lead in the series. Game 3 is set for Saturday at 4 p.m. at the Palmerston and District Community Centre in the first game of what could be a 3-in-3 weekend.
Game 4 is to be played Sunday at 3:30 p.m. in Seaforth and Game 5, if it’s needed, is to go Family Day Monday at 2 p.m. at Palmerston.
- Guelph Sports Journal