LAURIE WEIR
The Smiths Falls Jr. A Bears evened their best-of-seven Central Canada Hockey League first-round playoff series with the Pembroke Lumber Kings on Sunday, March 23, with a dramatic overtime victory on the road.
The Bears, who finished the regular season in fourth place with 66 points (30-19-5-1), while Pembroke placed fifth with 59 points (28-24-2-1), bounced back from a Game 1 loss to tie the series 1-1.
Smiths Falls 3, Pembroke 2 (OT)
A crowd of 792 fans watched the Bears pull off a thrilling 3-2 overtime win in Pembroke.
Liam Cardiff opened the scoring just 1:16 into the first period for the Lumber Kings, assisted by Dean Carvalho and Jayson Alegria. The Bears didn’t respond until the second period, when Quinn Booth found the back of the net at 1:25, assisted by Tyson Parker.
Alegria restored Pembroke’s lead before the end of the frame, netting a power-play marker assisted by Cardiff and Easton Penna.
With time winding down in the third, Kyle James delivered a clutch power-play goal for the Bears, forcing overtime. Parker and Ethan Ouellette picked up the assists.
Just 1:09 into the extra frame, Jack Cardillo netted the game-winner, lifting the Bears to a crucial victory. Ethan Morrow was solid in goal, making 27 saves. Pembroke’s Michael Modelski stopped 31 shots in the loss.
Game Stars:
1. Ethan Ouellette (Smiths Falls) – 1G, 1A
2. Liam Cardiff (Pembroke) – 1G, 1A
3. Jack Cardillo (Smiths Falls) – 1G
Pembroke 6, Smiths Falls 2
The Lumber Kings set the tone in Game 1 on Friday, March 21, with a 6-2 road win in front of 420 fans at the Bears’ Den – the largest home crowd of the season.
After a scoreless opening period, Pembroke struck first in the second. Nikita Ushakov put the visitors on the board at 2:09, assisted by Brody Simpson and Alex Fortier.
Kyle Dagg responded for Smiths Falls at 6:51, assisted by Caeden Heins and Davis Hails, but Pembroke took control before the period ended. Cardiff and Aidan Dres scored to give the Lumber Kings a 3-1 lead heading into the third. Assists came from Alyandro De Leon, Leonard Jamfa, Penna and Eric Barnard.
Dres notched his second goal of the game just 31 seconds into the final frame, with De Leon and Barnard assisting.
James answered back for Smiths Falls at 6:47, with Parker and Cameron O’Connell picking up the helpers.
Pembroke sealed the win with two late goals. De Leon buried an empty-netter at 18:07, and Ushakov added another at 19:35 off a Barnard feed.
Modelski turned aside 31 shots for the win, while Morrow made 21 saves in the loss.
Game Stars:
1. Michael Modelski (Pembroke) – SA: 33 | SV: 31 | TOI: 60:00
2. Aidan Dres (Pembroke) – 2G
3. Kyle Dagg (Smiths Falls) – 1G
Upcoming Games:
- March 25: in Smiths Falls, 7:30 p.m.
- March 26: in Pembroke, 7 p.m.
- March 28: in Smiths Falls, 7:30 p.m.
- March 30: in Pembroke, 2 p.m.*
- April 1: in Smiths Falls, 7:30 p.m.*
(*If necessary)
