73's tie series with 5-2 road win

LAKESHORE - The Essex 73's went into Lakeshore Sunday night with one goal in mind - to get a win and regain home ice advantage, and they did just that.

Luke Sherk and Karson Beuglet each had a pair of goals and Gabe Barrette added another as the Essex 73's won 5-2 and evened its series with the Lakeshore Canadiens.

For the Canadiens, Nicholas Rosati had both goals.

Essex once again out shot Lakeshore, 28-22.

The two teams meet up again Tuesday night in Essex for game three.


Lakeshore draws first blood and steals home ice

ESSEX - Game one went in favour of the Lakeshore Canadiens as they won 5-1 Friday night at the Essex Centre Sports Complex in front of an announced crowd of 1,158.

The series shifts to Lakeshore Sunday where the 73's will look to even things up.

Essex did not play bad this game, despite the score. In fact, they outshot the Canadiens 17-4 in the opening period, and 44-19 overall. Lakeshore managed to capitalize on its chances, and Essex could not.

Canadiens' goalie, Boe Piroski, frustrated the 73's all night, and got a little help from the goal posts along the way. At the other end, 73's goaltender, Brogan Colquhoun, was not as fortunate on a couple that managed to get by him.

Eric Bisson led the way for Lakeshore with three goals, including an empty netter, and Owen Bentley and 73's killer, Bryce Scarlett, had the other goals.

For Essex, it was rookie Matthew Crawford who got the lone goal.

Special teams did not play a factor in this game as Essex was called twice for minors, while Lakeshore just once.


Essex moves on to Stobbs Division finals

ESSEX - With an announced crowd of 808 at the Essex Centre Sports Complex, the Essex 73's played its most complete game of the playoffs, defeating the Blenheim Blades 5-0, and punching their own ticket to the Stobbs Division finals.
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Essex won the series, 4 games to 1.
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The 73's will now faceoff against the defending provincial champions, the Lakeshore Canadiens, who have breezed through the playoffs thus far, sweeping both the Dresden Kings and the Amherstburg Admirals.
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Brogan Colquhoun turned aside all 23 shots he faced, and his teammates were relentless in front of him, dumping 52 shots at the Blenheim goalies, most of them of much quality.
 
Jack Vancoillie started the game, as he had in all four previous games of the series. Essex chased him from the goal after the fourth goal, a harmless wrister from the point at the 5:18 mark of the second period which some how managed to slip under his arm. Owen Lemieux replaced him and was spectacular, surrendering just one goal on 33 shots.
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For the 73's, Travis Rivest continues his fine play, opening the scoring on the power play 14:51 of the first period.
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The 73's broke the game wide open in the second period, scoring three times on goals by Nate Dowling, Luke Sherk and Jackson Blair.
 
Santiago Jimenes closed out the scoring in the third period with a wrister short-side from the slot.
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The upcoming series will be the 7th straight year that the 73's and the Canadiens have met in the league final with the Canadiens winning the last 6 years in a row. You need to go back to 2017, is the last time the 73's defeated the Canadiens in the playoffs.
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This series promised to be a great one. Last year's league final went the distance, with Lakeshore winning on home ice in game seven, 3-1.