SIX NATIONS — Last Tuesday in a game that missed our deadline, the Mann Cup Champion Six Nations Chiefs opened the Major Series semi-finals with a 9-6 win over the Brampton Excelsiors.
The Chiefs came from behind to win Game #2, 7-6 in Brampton but in Game #3, the Excelsiors pulled out a much needed 7-6 win at the ILA Saturday night.
In the other semi-final series the Peterborough Lakers opened with a 7-5 win over Oakville, followed by a 12-8 Lakers win last Wednesday and a 12-5 Oakville win Saturday.
The Chiefs fell behind 2-1 in the first period Saturday with Brandon Benn and Joe Resetaris opening a 2-0 advantage before Six Nations’ Brandon Goodwin, who appeared in only five games during the regular season, got one back unassisted.
Each team scored four in the second with Jeff Shattler scoring three, two of them powerplay goals, and Ryan Benesch adding the other for the Chiefs. Mike Burke, scored two for the Excelsiors with Ethan O’Connor and Tyler Fereira adding one each.
Jeff Teat gave the Chiefs a slap in the face at 27 seconds of the third to give the Excelsiors a two-goal edge. Dhane Smith cashed in on a powerplay situation to close the gap at the halfway point in the period, but the Chiefs could not get another one past Tyler Carlson who faced a total of 44 Six Nations shots while Brandon Miller stopped 32 of 39 he was required to hand.
Thursday, in Brampton, the Excelsiors came out, guns blazing and racked up a 3-0 lead in the first 20 minutes. The Chiefs came alive in the second and the two locked horns with Six Nations scoring four and the Excelsiors putting three more up to end the second period with Brampton ahead 6-4.
Kasey Beirnes scored two, including the game winner, while Dave Brock delivered an unassisted marker. Meanwhile nobody, in a Brampton uniform any way, could breach the Chiefs’ defense and any who did couldn’t fool Dillon Ward in the Six Nations’ net. The Chiefs won it 7-6.
Back in Game #1 of the series, Randy Staats, with four goals and an assist, and Jeff Shattler, with three goals and three assists, were a two man wrecking crew to power the Chiefs past the Excelsiors, 9-6. Stephan Keogh and Johnny Powless fill in the cracks with a goal apiece.
Looking ahead, Tuesday, Aug. 11th, Game #4 is set to go in both semi-final series’. The Chiefs are in Brampton for an 8 pm start, and the Oakville Rock will be visiting the Peterborough Lakers. Game #5 for the Chiefs will be Thursday night at the ILA and an 8 pm start. Should a Game #6 be needed, it will be played Friday in Brampton, and Game #7 at the ILA, Saturday, Aug. 15th.
