NEWS

(pictured - Francisco Valardi of the Kingston Voyageurs smashes the water bottle with the 2nd period game-winning goal to force game seven on Monday night - photo credit: Brian Watts/OJHL Images)
The Kingston Voyageurs forced a do-or-die game seven on Monday night at the Invista Centre after a thrilling 6-4 win over the Newmarket Hurricanes on Saturday.

For the first time in the series, offence reigned surpeme as the two club's combined for 10 goals, five more than any other game in the series thus far.

The Vees wasted no time getting started, as clearly they did not want this to be their last game of the season. Dylan Hutton scored just 81 seconds into the game, but were quickly followed by a Newmarket goal from leading scorer Daniel Leavens just a few minutes later.  Alex Tonge restored the Vees lead with an unassisted marker. Tonge was a healthy scratch in Game Five, but jumped back in the lineup with the season on the line and contributed in a big way.  Justin Maiolino tied the game late in the first period for the Hurricanes, which the set stage for a Kingston explosion in the second, after being outshot 13-6 in the first period.

Beginning just before the midway point of the game, Hutton notched his second of the game and he was followed in the next eight minutes, Brian Nanne, Francesco Vilardi and Junior Harris scored to open up a 6-2 Vees lead. Daniel Leavens potted his second of the game, and 11th of the post-season, late in the period to make it 6-3 entering the final stanza.  Shots in the second were 16-11 in favour of the visitors.

The Hurricanes never gave up and threw everything they had at Kingston in the third, outshooting the Vees 9-4 with Ian Farrell the only scorer and Kingston netminder Charlie Finn holding the fort for the 29 save victory.

The Kingston victory sets up the first game seven of this year's OJHL post-season play and the Invista Centre will be rocking on Monday night (April 8) with puck drop at 7:00pm.

The winner on Monday will be crowned the North-East Conference Champion and square off against the St. Michael's Buzzers in the OJHL Championship Series beginning later this week.

For a full game summary, please CLICK HERE.

North-East Conference Championship

Game One          Newmarket 2 @ Kingston 3 (OT) (KIN leads series 1-0)
Game Two          Kingston 0 @ Newmarket 1 (Series tied 1-1)
Game Three       Newmarket 1 @ Kingston 3 (Kingston leads series 2-1)
Game Four         Kingston 2 @ Newmarket 3 (Series tied 2-2)
Game Five          Newmarket 3 @ Kingston 2 (OT) (Newmarket leads series 3-2)
Game Six             Kingston 6 @ Newmarket 4 (Series tied 3-3)
Game Seven      Newmarket @ Kingston                Apr. 8, 7:00pm