OHSWEKEN — The Oakville Titans and the Six Nix Nation Rivermen got at it Friday and Saturday nights as the OSBLL, playoff season began. Both semi-final series went a fill five games with Oakville eliminating Brooklin in the other semi-series.
Game 1 was staged at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre in Oakville Friday, with the Titans coming out on top 7-4. It was 1-0 before most people found their seats when Chris Young took
the ball from the opening face-off and buried it seven seconds into the game. Then, with Brock Farmer off for holding, John St. John made it 2-0 for the Titans before the end of the period. Cree Blakely gave Oakville a 3-0 advantage at 13:45 of the second period, which seemed to turn on a switch for Six Nations who bounced back with Wayne VanEvery scoring a powerplay goal, followed by Chayton King and VanEvery’s second of the period, to draw even at 3-3 after two frames.
The Titans would not relent and began the third period with three quick goals scored at 3:27, 5:25, and 6:05 and it was suddenly a 6-3 Oakville lead. Joe Maracle got one back at 6:57, but Cree Blakely entered the 7-4 goal into the records as the final score.
Down a game, the Rivermen dug a little deeper for Game 2, Saturday night and squeezed out a 10-9 OT win at the Gaylord Powless Arena to tie the series at a a game apiece.
Once again the Titans to the early lead scoring three goals in four minutes before Joe Maracle put a band-aid on it to end the period with the Rivermen behind 3-1.
There was a total of 10 goals scored in the second period, five per-side. Six Nations’ goals were scored by Roger Vyse, with two, 40-seconds apart to fire up the Rivermen. Wayne Van Every, Chayton King, and Tom Montour. Oakville still led 8-6 heading into the third period.
Matt Lee put Oakville up 9-6 at 3:10 but that would prove to be the Titans last goal f the game as the Rivermen came on strong late in the game. Chayton King scored his second of the game, Wayne Van Every made it a one goal definite and King sent the GPA fans crazy with two seconds remaining on the clock to send it into overtime.
Greg Longboat won it from Joe Maracle Jr. and Roger Vyse to even the series at 1-1. Game 3 was be played in Oakville Tuesday night in a game that missed our deadline, with Game 4 set for the GPA, Sat. Aug. 11 and if a Game 5 is necessary, it will be played Oakville Tuesday, Aug. 14th.
