The Meota Combines narrowly escaped watching their 3-0 lead slip out of their hands in the third period, taking game one of the semi-finals, 5-4.
Just three days after beating the Radisson Wheatkings in the first round of the SPHL playoffs, the Combines hosted the Edam Three Stars in game one of the second round.
On the other side of the rink, Edam enjoyed a three-game sweep of the Maymont Settlers and had ample time to rest ahead of their clash at the Civic Centre.
Dallas Wright kept the game scoreless early in the opening frame with a big pad save on a partial breakaway from Brody Roach. The forward is no stranger to finding the back of the net, registering four points in the first round.
Michael Pylypow gave the crowd at the Civic Centre something to cheer about late in the opening period. After jumping on a turnover, Pylypow was able to wrist a shot top shelf, short side and over the blocker of Quinton Gauthier from the left hash mark. The tally was his fourth of the playoffs and went unassisted.
Brett Miller gave the Combines a 2-0 advantage on their 18th shot of the period. The forward corralled the puck on the right hash mark before snapping a shot through traffic, beating the Three Stars netminder under the glove for his second of the postseason. Branden Sentes and Riley Albert collaborated on the goal.
Meota led on the scoreboard and in the shots department, 22-9, after 20 minutes.
The red and black continued to dominate, getting on the board once again and pushing their lead to three goals.
Sentes busted down the left wing with Miller flying down the opposite side of him for a two-on-one. The defence collapsed and Sentes was able to make a strong feed to Miller in the slot, who one-timed it home for his second of the game. Albert registered his second helper on the night, making the initial pass.
Edam got on the board when a harmless shot from the point finally beat Wright over the glove. Brennon Weitzel won the faceoff back to Marc LaClare who sent a clean shot towards the Combines netminder. Wright thought he gloved it but the wrister tickled twine to make it 3-1 with four minutes remaining in the middle frame.
After 40 minutes, shots were 31-23 in favour of the Combines.
The Three Stars cut the deficit to one just two minutes into the third period. Roach fed Mitch Wall on the right wing in the offensive zone before the leading goal scorer for Edam wristed his ninth of the playoffs into the back of the net. Wall now has an outstanding 10 points in four games.
Edam completed the comeback with 12 minutes left in the third. Wright made an incredible save on a breakaway, but on the next faceoff, a one-time feed from behind the net and into the slot for Kris Bloom tied the game at three.
A complete breakdown from the Combines led to four unanswered goals from the Three Stars. Damon Schaefer tallied his first of the playoffs after taking a pass from Weitzel, depositing it into the back of the net for their first lead of the game.
The crowd erupted as Meota came right back with seven minutes left in the third. Gauthier went behind his net to play the puck, ringing it around the boards where it met Chad Olsen. Olsen threw the puck in front for Pylypow, tipping it in for his second of the game.
In what was an absolute crazy third period, Meota restored their lead with a goal from Aaron Cadrin. Brody Tatchell found him on the left hash mark before Cadrin snapped a shot post and in for his second of the playoffs, making it 5-4. The ring of the post and buzzer echoed as the fans at the Civic Centre stood on their feet, watching their team walk away with the biggest win to date. The Combines held on for dear life in the final minute, taking the series lead 1-0.
Game two goes Saturday at 8:30 in Edam before returning to the Civic Centre Sunday.
