The Pictou County Weeks Crushers are the first team to advance to the next round of the Metalfab MHL Cup Playoffs with a 5-4 overtime win on the road on Saturday night to eliminate the top-seeded Summerside Western Capitals, who had captured the regular season division title. The Crushers now await the winner of the other Eastlink South Semi-Final between the Amherst Ramblers and Truro Bearcats.
Pictou County jumped out to a 1-0 series lead followings a 4-1 win in Game 1 in Summerside. The Crushers got goals from Cory MacGillivray, Lucas Canning, and Brennan O’Donnell, as well as an empty net goal from Drew Maddigan, while Thomas Fontaine made 34 saves for the victory. Jerome Gilbert had the lone goal for Summerside, while Rookie All-Star goaltender George Gallant made 22 saves in the loss.
The series shifted back to New Glasgow for Game 2. Carter Murchison and O’Donnell gave Pictou County a 2-0 lead in the 2nd period, but a Summerside goal from Gilbert cut the lead in half heading to the 3rd period. Robbie Rutledge tied the game midway through the final period, but O’Donnell continued his hot hand with the eventual game-winner at 14:22. Fontaine posted 42 saves in the win, while Gallant made 33 saves for Summerside.
The teams had combined for only one powerplay goal entering Game 3, but tallied five between them in an eventual 5-4 Summerside win to cut the series lead to 2-1. The Crushers got on the board first with a powerplay goal from Canning midway through the first period. Summerside exploded for four goals in the 2nd period. Rutledge and Jonah MacDonald scored on the powerplay, while Gilbert and Ryder Howatt also found the back of the net. Carter Murchison had a powerplay goal in the period for Pictou County. In the 3rd period, the Crushers tied the game with a goal from Kiefer Avery and a powerplay marker from Canning, but Ethan Dickson scored the game-winner at 14:20 for the Western Capitals. Fontaine was busy again with 42 saves, while Gallant made 29 saves for Summerside.
The high scoring continued in Game 4, where Pictou County would take a commanding 3-1 series lead with a 6-5 overtime win on home ice. The teams would trade goals in the 1st period. Canning got Pictou County on the board with a powerplay goal at 10:16, but Jano Zambakdjian answered at 12:37 for the Western Capitals. O’Donnell and Murchison scored powerplay goals in the 2nd period and Matthew McDonald added an even strength goal for a 4-1 lead. Gallant would be pulled after the third goal, facing just thirteen shots. Pictou County would make it 5-1 at 2:53 of the 3rd period with a goal from Alex Christmas, but Summerside rallied in a big way. Brett Arsenault scored at 6:37 on the powerplay to cut the lead to 5-2. Then the Western Capitals scored three goals in the final three minutes of regulation to force overtime. Antoine Michaud had a powerplay goal at 17:18, Rutledge scored at 18:50, followed by Arsenault’s second of the period at 19:04. In the extra frame, Canning scored on a wraparound at 6:48 for the win. Fontaine made 43 saves for the win. Niko Boudreau stopped 20 of 23 shots after taking over from Gallant.
Summerside returned home with their season on the line in Game 5 and got on the board first with a goal from Andrew Thompson at 8:07 of the 1st period. Pictou County would take a 2-1 lead before the end of the period with goals from Lucas Staresinic and and Logan O’Neil. The teams traded goals in the 2nd period from Christmas for Pictou County and Jude Campbell for Summerside. The Crushers took a 4-2 lead at 5:12 of the 3rd period with Canning’s sixth goal of the series. Summerside once again rallied, this time with two goals in 32 seconds to tie the game. Nolan Stewart scored first at 10:13 followed by Dominik Godin at 10:45. McDonald beat goaltender Niko Boudreau at 8:32 of the first overtime to send the Crushers to the Eastlink South Final. Fontaine made 38 saves for the win, while Boudreau had 35 saves in the loss.