Outlaws yield four goals in third in playoff-opening loss

RIPLEY – The Erin Outlaws surrendered four goals in the third period and that turned out to be the difference in the game as they were handed a 7-3 setback by the Ripley Wolves Friday at the Ripley Huron Community Centre.

The game was the first in the best-of-seven Ontario Elite Hockey League quarter-final playoff series.

The teams were tied 1-1 at the end of the first period and Ripley led 3-2 after the second.

Brad Holman, Jacob Miller and Chris Lachance had a goal apiece for Erin while Miller, Blake Lovell and Jacob Coulson each had an assist.

Ethan Skinner, Dan Nicoloff, Garrett Meurs, Alex Kuntz, Dylan Sayle, Kaden Hoggarth and Brett Catto scored a goal apiece for Ripley while Cody Britton had two assists and Logan Swanton, Todd Hellyer, Nicoloff, Meurs, Evan Visser and Nick Seiler each had one.

The Wolves outshot the Outlaws 46-28. Erin had a power-play goal and a shorthanded goal while Ripley had an empty-netter.

Jake Lawr had 40 saves for the Outlaws while Jason Hamilton had 25 for Ripley.

Ripley finished first at the end of the regular season at 16-1-3 (W-L-OTL) while Erin was eighth at 6-13-1.

Second game of the series is to go Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Erin’s Centre 2000 arena.

• Guelph Sports Journal