Hunter Dubecki and Lauchlin Elder scored third period goals to propel the Saugeen Shores Winterhawks to a 4-2 victory in Game 4 of their quarterfinal series with the Tavistock Royals.
The Winterhawks found themselves in penalty trouble early on, forcing the penalty killers into action, but the Royals couldn't get to Winterhawks starter Jeff Flagler.
A second penalty at the midway point of the first period was again killed off by the Winterhawks, who gained some momentum and used it to jump out to a 1-0 lead on an unassisted goal by Elder.
As has been the pattern in this series when one team has scored, the other answers back, as Tavistock evened the game at 1-1 just 25 seconds later on a goal by Geoff Killing.
The Winterhawks took another penalty after the goal was scored, but again, the penalty killers came up big.
More penalty trouble followed in the second period, and it inevitably bit them in the back side, as Tavistock took the lead on the power play at 2:37 of the second period on a goal by Collin Hartwick.
The Winterhawks returned the volley just over four minutes later, tying the game on a goal by Josh Deyell, which was assisted by Dubecki.
Despite a pair of Winterhawks power plays late in the period, the score remained tied at 2-2 heading to the third period.
The Winterhawks jumped out fast in the third, scoring 3:20 into the final frame.
A faceoff in the Tavistock zone was scrummed into the corner, where Justin Donnelly got the puck out front to Miles MacLean. His point-blank shot was stopped, but the rebound fell to the side of the net, where Donnelly poked it across to Dubecki, who made no mistake, putting the Winterhawks up 3-2.
Tavistock was whistled for slashing midway through the period and the Winterhawks power play finally clicked, as Elder put the insurance marker on the board at 10:12, with Logan Freiburger and MacLean again setting up the goal.
A pair of Tavistock penalties in the final five minutes of the game helped the Winterhawks kill the clock, holding on for a 4-2 victory.
Flagler made 32 saves for the win, as the Winterhawks outshot Tavistock 41-34, while Elder, Dubecki, MacLean and Freiburger had two points each.
After digging themselves into a 2-0 series deficit, the Winterhawks have evened up the best-of-seven Sr. AA quarterfinal at two games apiece.
The series shifts back to The Plex for Game 5 on Friday night, February 18th, for an 8:30 p.m. start.
Boxscore via Gamesheet Inc.