NEWS

(Pictured - Nicholas Geiser of the Toronto Patriots celebrates the game-winning goal as goal scorer, Nico Gonzalez, curls in the background after burying the puck to even the 2015 OJHL Championship Series at one win apiece - photo credit:  Jay Johnston/OJHL Images)

For the second straight night a special presentation was held prior to puck drop as the OJHL this time presented the fourth annual Fan Favourite Award.  With record-setting numbers that saw more than 56,000 votes cast, Cole Bolton of the hometown Kingston Voyageurs was the winner and received his award during the ceremony from OJHL Commissioner Marty Savoy and long-time Vees supporter Dave Smith.

Once the puck officially dropped, the Toronto Patriots came out with a bit more gusto than in game one and although they would outshoot the home side in the first period, 13-9, they found themselves down 2-0 early in the game once again.  With netminder Daniel Urbani standing tall between the pipes, the Vees struck twice in 22 seconds just over seven minutes into the game.  First, Adam Brady stole the puck off defenceman Mario Ferraro’s stick at the blueline and went alone on Mathew Robson, making no mistake with a backhand upstairs.  That was quickly followed up with another neutral zone turnover that saw newly crowned Fan Favourite Bolton drop the puck to playoff leading scorer Alex Tonge, who made no mistake in firing home his 19th for the 2-0 lead.  The goal puts Tonge in some elite company and just outside the top ten best single playoff goal totals in league history.    Needing some sort of a lift, the Pats responded quickly with defenceman Louis DiMatteo doubling his regular season goal total by burying his second of the playoffs on a rebound from a Tyler Currie point blast.  The period ended 2-1 in favour of the Vees and with the Patriots feeling much better about their performance.

Both teams settled in during the second frame and saw a bit of a role reversal as the Vees outshot the Patriots 17-14, however, Toronto would score the stanza’s lone goal.  Mid-season acquisition Mitch Emerson showed off his skills, walking around a couple of defenders in the slot, before roofing one over Urbani to know the game at two goals apiece.  The goal came late in the period and saw the teams head to the dressing room knotted at two.

With the potential to be down 2-0 in the series facing them, the Patriots came out guns a-blazing in the third and just over five minutes into the period would score goals 31 seconds apart to take their first lead in the series.  Jacob Hayhurst would carry the puck in tight and draw Urbani out of his crease before shovelling a quick cross-crease pass to Marcus Rose, who found the back of the yawning cage.  That was quickly followed-up by another mid-season acquisition in Nico Gonzalez.  After making a pass to teammate Nicholas Geiser at the top of the crease, saw the puck bounce right back to his stick and he made no mistake, giving his squad a 4-2 lead.  Not a team that gives up easily, the Vees continued to show their mettle in fighting back when just over three minutes later, Blake O’Neill fired home a point shot that careened in off the Pats’ Tyler Currie, cutting the lead in half.  This was as close as they would come, however, with Currie redeeming himself by notching the empty-net clincher and third point of the contest in the Patriots 5-3 victory.

Final shots in the game were 30-27 in favour of Toronto with Currie taking home the game’s first star honours, followed by Adam Moodie of the Vees with star number two and Jacob Hayhurst of the Pats with star three.  With the series square at one game each, it shifts back to Westwood Arena in Toronto with game three taking place on Wednesday, April 15 at 7:45pm.

For the full game summary, please CLICK HERE.