Chiefs Draw Even, Alpines Dethroned!

Thursday night would have at least one team, maybe two teams advancing to the 2005 Lake City Cup Final. The 3rd and final game between the Secunda Mariners and the Dartmouth Alpines, while Scotiabank looked to eliminate the regular season champions Sandtrap Chiefs in two straight games.
 
Scotiabank's Dan Guindon fired a shot past goaltender Jason White of the Chiefs to give them a early 1 to 0 lead. Sandtrap's Mark Walsh tied the score at 1, one minute later. Brian McIntoch scored to give a lead to the Chiefs for the first time in the series. Don Murray of Scotiabank drew the game at 2 with 5:09 remaining in the 1st. The Chiefs scored 2 goals 16 seconds apart at 3:27 and 3:11 mark, on shots by Paul Wright and Scott Cote, to open up a 4 to 2 lead. Chiefs' Roddy MacCormick scored his first of the playoffs with 1minute remaining in the 1st period, to give Sandtrap a 5 to 2 lead after 1.
Scotiabank narrowed the score on a powerplay goal by Donny MacNeil with 9:02 remaining in the 2nd. Roddy MacCormick deposited his 2nd of the game, restoring a 3 goal lead for the Chiefs. A late penalty to Chiefs' Mark Walsh, gave Scotiabank their 2nd powerplay goal of the game, this time Doug Mollon capitalizing on the opportunity. The goal sparked Scotiabank as they would score again 19 seconds later, with 3:09 remaining, making the score 6 to 5 for the Chiefs. With goaltender Peter Douglas of Scotiabank on the bench for an extra attacker, their hopes of tying the game was dashed on an empty net goal by Chiefs' Gord Dickie. The 7 to 5 victory for the Chiefs forces a 3rd and final game to see who will advance to the 2005 Lake City Cup Final.

In what arguably is the most exciting series of the 2005 playoffs. The 3rd and final game between the Secunda Mariners and the Dartmouth Alpines took place Thursday night. The series has been to close to call, with the Mariners winning game 1 in a shootout, while the Alpines evening the series at 1 with a 3 to 2 victory in game 2. Secunda hoping to get revenge against the Alpines for the 2004 Lake City Cup Final and the Dartmouth looking to have a chance to compete for their fourth straight Lake City Cup.

Secunda opened the scoring on Dana Drake's 3rd goal of the playoffs at 17:39 mark. The Alpines replied with a pair midway through the 1st on goals by Darren Welsh and Jay Washington's powerplay marker at 11:26 and 9:04. Mariners' Derek Taylor tied the game at 2 with 3:27 remaining, only to have the Alpines' Dave Fader scored with 1:46 left to regain the one goal lead, heading into the 2nd period.
The Mariners on their first and only powerplay opportunity of the game, capitalized on a laser shot from Keifer House, just inside the blueline, past goaltender Scott MacDonald's right shoulder, tying the game at 3.
Secunda killing off a delay of game penalty at 8:49, broke out on a 3 on 2 and scored a shorthanded goal at 8:09 remaining. Mariners' Rick Findley poked the loose puck past Scott MacDonald, to give them a 4 to 3 lead.
As in the whole series, neither team was giving up to many chances. The Alpines threw every thing they could at the Mariners but could not get the equalizer past goaltender Olie Debue.
The Dartmouth Alpines run at a Lake City Cup 4-peat has ended in an exciting 3 game series. The Secunda Mariners advance to the 2005 Lake City Cup Final for the 2nd year in a row and will wait for the winner of game 3 between Scotiabank and the Sandtrap Chiefs.