DAN CEARNS, The Standard
SCUGOG: The Port Perry Lumberjacks are one loss away from being eliminated by the Uxbridge Bruins in their first-round playoff series.
The Lumberjacks opened the series with a strong first-period performance in Game 1 in Uxbridge on Friday, March 10th.
Three and a half minutes into the first period, Brayden Roberts deked around the Uxbridge defencemen and scored a goal on his backhand. Then, nearly 13 minutes into the period, and with the Lumberjacks on the penalty kill, Mark Stoop raced in on a breakaway and scored. With under four minutes remaining in the period, Jeremy Poulin extended the lead to 3-0 with a goal.
Things went downhill quickly for the Lumberjacks in the second period. The Bruins struck three goals to tie the game in the first half of the period. Then, with just four minutes remaining in the period, the Bruins put the puck in the net again, putting Port Perry behind for the first time in the game 4-3. The Bruins would add a power-play goal later in the period and led 5-3 after 40 minutes of play.
The Bruins were the only team to score in the third period, giving them a 6-3 win and the series lead.
The series moved to Scugog Arena for Game 2 on Sunday, March 12th. For the second time in a row, the Lumberjacks would score the game's first goal.
Nine and a half minutes into the first period, Stoop drove the puck to the net and scored, giving Port Perry a 1-0 lead. But, a little over two minutes later, the Bruins would put the puck past goaltender Gavin Bradt, knotting the game up at 1-1.
The game would remain at that score until late in the second period. Over 12 and a half minutes in, the Bruins struck again. Then, with just 19 seconds remaining on the clock, Uxbridge added another goal, giving them a 3-1 lead.
There were no goals scored in the third period, and Uxbridge defeated Port Perry 3-1.
The series resumed back in Uxbridge on Monday, March 13th.
The Bruins would score the only goals of that game. They had a 1-0 lead after the first 20 minutes of play, a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes of play and then added two more goals in the third period to defeat Port Perry 4-0.
With it being a best-of-seven series, the Uxbridge Bruins need just a single win to end the Lumberjacks season.
One Timers:
- The series will continue at Scugog Arena for Game 4 on Wednesday, March 15th. The game will begin at 7 p.m.
- Should there be a need for a Game 5 in the series, that game will be held on Friday, March 17th in Uxbridge.