Rocks edged as final’s home-team winning trend continues

TILLSONBURG – And the trend goes on.

The Tillsonburg Thunder squared the very first Sleemans Cup Western Ontario Super Hockey League championship series at two wins apiece with a 5-4 victory over the Elora Rocks Saturday night at the Tillsonburg Community Centre.

Tillsonburg 5 Elora Rocks 4

All four games played in the series have been won by the home team.

That trend looked like it might change Saturday when the Rocks scored three consecutive goals, the final two 32 seconds apart in the last 62 seconds of the opening period, to grab a 3-1 lead at the end of the first.

However, Tillsonburg responded with four consecutive goals to grab a two-goal lead before the Rocks completed the scoring midway through the third.

Chad Herron had a pair of goals for the Rocks while Andrew Whalen and Jacob Black also scored. Assists were awarded to Phil Teri, Alex Utley and Spencer Gourlay.

Tillsonburg received goals from Derek Slaght, Jake Brown, Michael Rebry, Mitchell Fitzmorris and Cam Sault while Christhopher Nauts, Kaine Geldart, Eric Langridge, Mitch Green, Brown and Rebry each had an assist.

The Rocks outshot the Thunder 41-30 including a 28-15 advantage after the first period.

Tillsonburg went 1-for-5 on its power play while Elora was scoreless on three power plays.

Colin Dunne had 25 saves in net for the Rocks while Jesse Raymond had 37 for Tillsonburg.

The teams get plenty of time to prepare for the final games of the series as there are no games scheduled next weekend on the Easter weekend.

Game 5 is set for April 22 at 8:30 p.m. at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex in Fergus while Game 6 is to go April 23 at 7:30 p.m. at the Tillsonburg Community Centre.

If the series goes its seven-game limit, Game 7 is to be played in Fergus April 24.

• Guelph Sports Journal