Two Matts scored two points each as the Lakeshore Canadiens took Game 1 of the Stobbs Division Finals.
The Canadiens pulled away with four straight goals in their 5-2 win over the Essex 73s Sunday night at the Atlas Tube Centre.
Both teams exchanged a goal in the latter half of the first stanza. The Canadiens drew first blood when Matt Fraser scored. The 73s evened it up when Michael Vieira found the net before the first intermission.
Lakeshore added two goals in the middle period. Jarrett Tazzman broke the tie at 14:59, and Matt Smith added insurance less than two minutes later.
The Canadiens put the game out of reach in the final frame with goals from Brandon Ireland and Mejoe Gasparovic. Michael Ruttinger brought another goal for Essex late in regulation.
Erik Morneau had 25 saves out of 27 attempts in goal for Lakeshore. Jax D'Hondt was pulled from the 73s goal early in the third. Together he and backup Tyler Ryan had 35 saves.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series is Tuesday night at the Essex Centre.
*******
Cody Schneider scored the overtime winner as the Leamington Flyers beat the Komoka Kings 5-4 at the Kinsmen Centre.
The Flyers now lead the best-of-seven series 3-0 and can go for the sweep Tuesday night.
Leamington began with two power play goals in the first half of the opening frame. Bryce O'Brien scored first, followed by Rory DeNiro. Komoka cut the Leamington lead in half at 10:36 when Wes Dobbin put the puck in the net. Blake Johnson got that goal back for the Flyers exactly three minutes later.
Johnson struck again at 6:08 in the second period for a 4-1 Leamington lead, but Komoka roared back with three unanswered goals before the intermission, within less than four minutes' time. Isaac McLean kicked off that trio, followed in order by Andrew Kim and Joel Mazzilli with the equalizer.
There was no scoring in the third period, but the Flyers outshot the Kings in that period 16-6 and had three power play chances. Schneider's winner game with 2:42 left in the overtime period.
Noah Hedrick won between the pipes for Leamington, with 28 saves. Reagan Gies and Avery Hartwick combined for 51 saves.
Game 4 is Tuesday in Komoka.
