Playoff hockey is about players stepping up in key situations and that's exactly what Chad Earle, Scott Carragher and Todd Gregory did for the Summerside Western Capitals on Monday night.
Earle scored four goals and added an assist, Carragher had one goal and four assists and Gregory, a surprise starter in goal to some, turned in a 40-save performance to lead the Capitals to a 6-3 win over the Charlottetown Abbies.
"What can you say?" said Capitals' head coach Scott Bridges. "Todd came in and gave us some (solid) goaltending and Chad Earle played like Chad Earle can play."
The win before 1,405 fans at Credit Union Place evens the best-of-five Maritime Junior A Hockey League's Roger Meek Division mini series 1-1.
Game 3 is at MacLauchlan Arena in Charlottetown today at 7 p.m., with Game 4 in Summerside on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.
"It was a must-win so we could tie the series and show them that we're not just here to play - we're here to win," said Earle.
Trevor Carmichael also scored for the Capitals, who directed 34 shots at Charlottetown goaltender Alex Dupuis. Will Johnston, Willie Harvey and Kyle Reardon replied for the Abbies.
Gregory was called up from the Kensington Moase Plumbing and Heating Vipers of the Island Junior Hockey League after Caps goaltender Stefan Dumaresque received a two-game suspension in Game 1.
He admitted he was surprised to get the start.
"In the back of my mind I figured there was a one per cent chance," said Gregory, who stopped 27 of 28 shots over the final two penalty-free periods.
"I'm very happy to get the opportunity to play against my former team in such a big situation."
Bridges admitted he agonized with the decision to go with Gregory over veteran Tim MacPhee, who gave up six goals in a 6-3 loss in Game 1.
"It was a night of tossing and turning," said Bridges. "It was a gut feeling and sometimes those hunches pay off."
When asked if Gregory would start tonight, "absolutely" was Bridges' answer.
Earle's third goal at 17:26 of the second period snapped a 3-3 tie and was the game-winner.
He scored two power-play goals in the final three-plus minutes of the first period to give the Caps a 3-2 lead after 20 minutes.
The score remained 4-3 until Carragher made it 5-3 at 11:10 of the third period, and Earle closed out the scoring at 15:13.
"I thought if we had got some bounces it could have went either way," said Abbies captain Morgan Cooke of O'Leary. "It was a one-goal game until the last half of the third period.
"The last game we got the bounces and today they did. Hopefully (Tuesday) it goes our way."
jpsports@journalpioneer
Final Score: Caps 6, Abbies 3.
Series: 1-1.
Scoring: Capitals -- Chad Earle (4-1), Scott Carragher (1-4), Trevor Carmichael; Abbies -- Kyle Reardon, Will Johnston and Willie Harvey.
Assists: Capitals -- Ned O'Brien (2), Parker Deighan, Jonathan Cameron, Josh
McKinnon, Jon Vloet and Chad Loewen; Abbies -- Kyle MacDonald (2), Kory
Cooke, Jamie MacInnis, Neil Sherren and Ryan Taylor.
Period Scores: Capitals held leads of 3-2 and 4-3.
Shots: Abbies 43, Capitals 34.
Goaltenders: Capitals -- Todd Gregory; Abbies -- Alex Dupuis.
Penalties: Referee Mike Annear called just two minor penalties against each team.
Three Stars: 1. Chad Earle (Capitals), 2. Todd Gregory (Capitals), 3. Ned O'Brien (Capitals).
Next Game: At MacLauchlan Arena in Charlottetown today at 7 p.m.
