Seaforth Centenaires on the brink of Paxton Trophy victory after weekend split

BY SHAWN LOUGHLIN

Last Saturday, the Ripley Wolves spoiled the sweep that would have handed the Seaforth Centenaires the Paxton Trophy by winning game three of their finals series in Ripley by a score of 4-3. However, with an overtime win in Seaforth the next night, the Centenaires now sit on the precipice of victory that could be achieved as early as this weekend.

 

Game three of the series was all Ripley until the third period. Keaton McLaughlin scored at 5:12, assisted by Trent Houghton and Pat Looby, followed by a Garrett Meurs power play goal at 6:30, assisted by Ethan Skinner and Cody Britton, and a Cody Britton goal at 8:26, assisted by Ethan Skinner and Garrett Meurs.

 

Trent Houghton then scored at 16:36 of the second to give Ripley a 4-0 lead in a game that could give them their first win of the series. However, Seaforth came roaring back in the third period, just not quite far enough.

 

Ray Huether scored at 4:40, assisted by Kyle Stanbury, Sean Chisholm found the back of the net at 9:42, assisted by Luke Fritz and Jarrett Bogdon, and Camden Daigle scored at 16:31, assisted by Jared Nash, but the team couldn’t find that fourth goal to tie it up and fell to the Wolves on their home ice, despite outshooting Ripley 35-29.

 

The next night, in Seaforth, the home team scored once in the first period, thanks to Jordan Visneskie finding the back of the net at 8:16, assisted by Camden Daigle and Luke Fritz, while the Wolves scored twice: J.D. Falconer unassisted at 0:36 and then Matthew Murray at 6:19, assisted by Cody Britton.

 

In the second, the Centenaires scored the only two goals: Luke Fritz at 7:58, assisted by Zach Hatch and Camden Daigle, and Sheldon Pryce at 11:14, assisted by Malcolm McLeod and Jared Nash.

 

The teams would then end the third period all knotted up. Ethan Skinner scored for Ripley at 1:16, assisted by Matthew Murray and Pat Looby and Carter Servais found the back of the net for the Wolves on the power play at 5:27, assisted by Jordan Moulton, and Luke Fritz scored his second goal of the game for the Centenaires at 8:31, assisted by Camden Daigle and Reid Oliver.

 

In overtime, it was Reuben Smith for the Centenaires who won it at 1:10 with a goal assisted by Ray Huether, putting the team on the brink of victory with a three-games-to-one advantage in the best-of-seven series.

 

Now, game five of the series will go ahead on Saturday, April 25 in Ripley, followed by, if necessary, game six in Seaforth on Sunday, April 26 (puck drops at 6:30 p.m.) and a definitive game seven on Tuesday, April 28 in Ripley if the Wolves fight all the way back.