A furious comeback by the Maple Ridge Burrards in the third period was snuffed by Peterborough’s Adam Jones almost five minutes into the sudden-death second period of overtime to give the Lakers a 14-13 in the first game of their best-of-seven Mann Cup final, Friday in Peterborough.
Jones’ goal — his fourth of the game — capped a wild game in which each team had to battle back from deficits.
The Burrards’ was the largest, as they entered the third period down 10-5 and seemingly out of the game.
Less than five minutes into the final frame, Coquitlam’s Ben McIntosh started Maple Ridge on the comeback trail when he set up Owen Barker for a power play goal. Then, 42 seconds later he was in on another goal, this time by Port Coquitlam’s Curtis Dickson.
Dan Taylor got the Burrards to within two goals when he converted a pass from keeper Frank Scigiliano, who’s from Coquitlam.
In fact, Scigliano was in on the next two goals as well and the score was tied 10-10 8:25 into the third period. And 12 seconds after that, it was the Burrards who went in front for the first time in the game as McIntosh netted his third of the game.
But with less than five minutes left in regulation time, the Lakers’ Thomas Hoggarth scored to tie the game and send it to an extra period.
Again it was McIntosh providing the Burrards’ their offensive spark, as he scored 24 seconds into the frame, then Dickson increased the margin to two goals. But goals by the Lakers’ Cory Vitarelli and Hoggarth, again, meant the teams would have to play another period, this time sudden death, to determine a winner.
McIntosh finished the game with eight points while Dickson had three goals and four assists. Scigliano stopped 56 of the 69 shots he faced in the Burrards’ net, while his teammates fired 57 shots at Lakers’ goalie Evan Kirk.
Game two of the series will be played Saturday.
