CRAPAUD – The Sherwood-Parkdale Metros stormed back to secure themselves of a semifinal berth in the 2018 Maritime Hockey North junior C championship.
The Metros trailed the Tri-County Thunder from New Brunswick 3-0 after two periods of play, before rallying for a 4-3 win in overtime on Friday afternoon. The win upped the Metros’ record to 3-1 (won-lost).
The top four teams will advance to the two semifinal games, scheduled for Saturday at 3 and 7 p.m., at the South Shore Actiplex.
In other games Friday, the host Southside Lynx dropped a 5-1 decision to Nova Scotia’s Spryfield Attack to see their record fall to 1-3, and Hockey North’s Baffin Blizzard outlasted Spryfield 7-6 in overtime. The result of Friday night’s final round-robin game between Tri-County and Baffin was not available at deadline time.
In Thursday’s late game, the Metros defeated the Lynx 5-1 in an all-P.E.I. clash.
The statistics for the Lynx-Attack game were not available at deadline time.
Metros 4 Thunder 3 (OT)
Brandon Sullivan scored at 3:27 of overtime to cap the Metros’ comeback. Logan Toole was another key contributor as he scored two goals, including the equalizer at 17:06 of the third period. Jake Arsenault added a single goal while Shawn Corney (2), Sullivan, Robert Hicken and Owen Arsenault drew assists.
Will Hall, Dusty Augustine and Ben Corey replied for Tri-County, which led 1-0 after the opening 20 minutes.
Winning goaltender Blake Arsenault made 42 saves as the Thunder outshot the Metros 45-25.
Blizzard 7 Attack 6 (OT)
Andrew Pearce’s second goal of the game at the one-minute mark of overtime proved to be the difference.
Mitchell Tilley (1-4), Stephane Nukapiak (1-1), Peter Akavak (1-1), Ryan Eegeesiak and Jonathan Kingwatsiak netted the other goals for Baffin.
Gregory DeLano (2-2), Dan McKnight (1-3), Francois Poirier (1-1), Nolan King and Ryan McGregor answered for the Attack.
The Attack held period leads of 2-1 and 5-2.
Winning goaltender was Mike Unuiqsraq.
Metros 5 Lynx 1
Riley Cheverie scored two goals while Jake Arsenault (1-1), William Levasseur and Tanner Power added singles to account for Sherwood-Parkdale’s scoring. Owen Arsenault and Patrick Kenny assisted.
Rourke Perry, who was set up by Frank Watts and Tyler Jurkowski, countered for the Lynx.
The Metros held a 2-1 advantage after the first and second periods.
Winning goaltender James Duffy stopped 26 of 27 shots. Caelan Ferguson faced 40 shots in goal for Southside.
