The Trois-Rivieres Lions have taken control of their North Division Semifinals series after an intense 3-2 victory over the Reading Royals in double overtime Monday night in Reading.
Trois-rivieres is up 3-0 in the series and one win away from clinching a spot in the Division Finals, but Game 3’s victory didn’t come easily.
For the third game in a row, the Lions were first on the scoreboard. Nicolas Guay scooped up a loose puck in front of the Royals’ net and got it past goaltender Vinnie Purpura for a 1-0 lead at 6:15 of the opening period.
The Royals tied the score at 15:17 on Shane Sellar’s goal, and it stayed that way until the final minute of the third period.
That’s when the intensity ramped up to a fever pitch, with each team scoring a goal within the final minute of the third.
Reading’s Mason Primeau put his club ahead 2-1 at 19:00, but the Lions’ Anthony Beauregard saved the day for his team with a goal at 19:58, and the game headed to overtime tied 2-2.
One bonus period wasn’t enough, although Trois-Rivieres thought they had the winning goal when Tommy Cormier beat Purpura on a power play. However, the officials ruled on video review that Morgan Adams-Moisan engaged in goalie interference and the goal was disallowed.
The Lions scored the game-winner at 4:44 of the second overtime from Andrew Coxhead, who had just returned to the lineup, and Trois-Rivieres came away with the hard-fought 3-2 win.
Lions netminder Luke Cavallin stopped 26 shots to earn the win, while Purpura saved 33 of 36 shots for Reading in the tough loss.
Game 4 is Wednesday at Santander Arena in Reading, where the Lions will try to wrap things up. Puck drop is set for 7 Pm ET.
Here’s a look at other action from Monday night.
Stingrays Fall To Orlando
The South Carolina Stingrays are human after all.
The hottest team in the ECHL heading into the post-season took the first two games of their South Division Semifinal series with the Orlando Solar Bears, but fell 4-2 in Orlando on Monday. The Solar Bears cut the series deficit to 2-1 with the victory.
Brayden Low’s wrister gave Orlando the 1-0 lead at 15:27 of the opening frame. Tyler Bird increased the lead to 2-0 nearly three minutes later on a 2-on-1 shorthanded goal.
The score remained 2-0 heading into the third period despite south Carolina’s 18 shots on goal in the second. Bird added his second of the night for a 3-0 Orlando advantage 6:46 into the third before the Stingrays finally scored when Dean Loukus crashed the net.
Josh Wilkins redirected a Reilly Webb shot to narrow the gap to 3-2, but Bird earned a hat trick with an empty-netter in the final minute to preserve the 4-2 win for the Solar Bears.
Game 4 takes place Wednesday at the Kia Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7 Pm ET.
Toledo Fights Off Fuel
The Walleye took a 3-0 lead in their Central Division Semifinal series with a 5-3 win in Indy against the Fuel.
Brandon Hawkins showed why he is the ECHL Most Valuable Player for the second straight year, scoring four points on the night.
The Fuel started the scoring for the first time all series for a 1-0 advantage at 11:40 of the first period, but the Walleye tied the score late in the frame at 18:48 as a power play expired.
Hawkins scored just 1:09 into the second period to put Toledo in the lead 2-1. Mitch Lewandowski, who assisted on the play, scored a goal of his own at 13:01 as Hawkins and Trenton Bliss had the helpers.
Indy made it a one-goal game at 14:49, but Toledo remained in control. Hawkins became the Toledo Walleye all-time playoff points leader with his second goal of the evening on a power play.
Toledo welcomed back Carson Bantle from a stint with the Grand Rapid Griffins. His first goal of the playoffs made it 5-2 after 40 minutes.
The Fuel made a goalie change, replacing Ben Gaudreau with Ryan Ouellette for the third period. The Fuel made it a two-goal game at 7:52, but the Walleye held on for the 5-3 victory.
Game 4 is Tuesday at Fishers Event Center in Indy, with puck drop set for 7 Pm ET.
Komets Win Overtime Thriller In Iowa
The Iowa Heartlanders’ first home playoff game in their history was anything but dull. It took overtime for the Fort Wayne Komets to prevail 7-6 in an offensive slugfest that put the Komets ahead 2-1 in their Central Division Semifinal series.
Iowa fought back from a pair of two-goal deficits in the third period, only to see the Komets get the eventual game-winner in overtime.
Jack Gorniak was the hero for Fort Wayne, notching the GWG 2:17 into the extra frame. Five Heartlanders had multi-point performances, but it wasn’t quite enough.
Brett Brochu made 20 saves in the win for Fort Wayne, while Kyle McClellan stopped 33 shots in the loss.
Game 4 will also be in Coralville, with puck drop set for 7 Pm ET.