Sleemans Cup final tied as Rocks edged by Thunder

TILLSONBURG – The Tillsonburg Thunder pulled even with the Elora Rocks in the Sleemans Cup Western Ontario Super Hockey League championship series with a 7-6 victory Saturday at the Tillsonburg Community Centre.

The Rocks had won the opening game of the championship series 7-5 Friday night at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex in Fergus.

Tillsonburg 7 Elora Rocks 6

Three consecutive power-play goals by the hosts in the third period gave them a lead they wouldn’t give up and followed a shorthanded goal by the Rocks that put Elora ahead 5-4 in the opening minute of the third period.

The teams were tied 1-1 after the first period and 4-4 at the end of the second.

Steven Dol had a hat trick for the Rocks while Zack Cameron, Phil Teri and Jeremey Goodwin also scored. Chad Herron assisted on three of the goals while single assists were awarded to Shaun Pickering, Yianni Skropolis, Teri, Aaron Smith and Dol.

Andrew Tapsell had a pair of goals for Tillsonburg while single goals were netted by Oakley Thomas, Zak Mcquade, Michael Rebry, Matthew Weston and Todd Ratchford. Mike Findlay, Derek Slaght, Anthony Geldart and Cam Sault each had two assists while Christhopher Nauts, Christo Kurtis, Scott Stafford and Jake Brown each had one.

Jesse Raymond had 31 saves in net for Tillsonburg while Colin Dunne had 26 for the Rocks.

Third game of the best-of-seven final is slated for Friday at 8:30 p.m. at Fergus.

• Guelph Sports Journal