The best of three began Tuesday, with the Scotian Canadians, coming off a quarter final upset of Your Fathers Moustache, taking on the well rested regular season champions Dartmouth Alpines.
The Canadians hoping that Dartmouth, with a two week layoff would be rusty going into game one, unfortunately that was not the case as the Alpines cruised to an 8 to 3 win.
The Alpines Jumped out to a 4 to 2 lead after the first period on goals by Chris Boutilier, Peter Gallant with a shorthanded marker, Jay Washington and Todd Parker. Danny Brewer fired home a powerplay goal and Todd Miles replied for the Canadians.
Dartmouth scored four more goals in the second period, before Scotian’s Dwayne Coyle would finish off the games scoring, Peter Gallant and Todd Parker would pop in their second goals of the playoffs and Jay Washington found the net two more times for the hattrick to give the Alpines a one game to none lead.
Alpines’ goaltender Todd Bengert unavailable for the series, called on Moustache’s Dave Fallows to backstop them.
In a rematch of last years Lake City Cup Final, the defending champions Secunda Mariners took on the Moose Light Shamrocks in game one of the other semi final Tuesday.
Moose Light opened the series scoring on a goal by Craig Whynot 1 minute and 46 seconds in the first period. The Mariners would answer back with two of their own, by Steve Widmeyer and Marty King, before defencemen Todd Sparks tied it at two before the period ended.
Widmeyer, back from the DL, fired his second of the game, to restore Secunda’s one goal lead 4 minutes and 7 seconds into the second period.
The Shamrocks took a penalty with 5:21 remaining in regulation time, but that did not stop them from tying the game at three on a shorthanded effort from Sebastien Decaens. That goal seem to spark the Shamrocks as they pressed the Mariners goaltender Andrew Sim, filling in for injured Corey Irving. It looked like the game was heading for overtime when Moose Light’s leading scorer Paul Wright swiped home home his sixth goal of the playoffs, while on his butt in front of Sim with 1:55 remaining. Shamrocks’ Shane Gibbs would blast one more past Sim, giving them a 5 to 3 victory on game one.
Thursday night was do or die for both the Scotian Canadians and Secunda Mariners.
If the Alpines had any rust on them from the layoff, it did not show in game one and again in game two as they made short work of the Canadians, by crushing them again, this time 9 to 2.
Scotian were no match for the Alpines passing game and found themselves playing chase all game.
Dartmouth’s Ian Sullivan buried home a hattrick, while Darren Welsh and Jay Washington found the twine twice, while Todd Parker and Glen MacDonald added singles to the two game sweep of the Canadians. Washington’s two goals gives him five in the series.
Scotian’s Allen Coyle and Danny Brewer found the net, past Dave Fallows, in the loss. The Canadians can look at their season as Improvement as the year went along. They had a terrible first half and above 500 second half heading into the playoffs, where they made it to the semi finals. As for the Dartmouth Alpines they head on to the Lake City Cup final.
Game two had the Secunda Mariners looking to force a third game, while the Moose Light Shamrocks were hoping to eliminate them and seek a little revenge from last years final.
The Mariners were forced to scramble for a goaltender after the Shamrocks said they would protest the ineligible goaltender Jason Churchill. Alpines’ goalie Dave Fallows came out to backstop for the Mariners.
The Mariners with their backs against the wall came out flying, scoring just 27 seconds into the game on Steve Widmeyer’s third of the series and just over three minutes later Widmeyer gave Secunda a 2 to 0 lead.
Shamrocks’ Jason Troini narrowed the gap before Widmeyer would beat goaltender Jason White for the ‘trick. Moose Light’s Paul Wright would blast his seventh of the playoffs to end the first period at 3 to 2 for the Mariners.
Jason Troini brought the Moose Light back even with his second of the game 3:51 into the second period. Both teams went back and forth with goaltenders Jason White and Dave Fallows denying both offensive teams any more goals in regulation time, forcing the game into overtime.
Penalty killing teams were great as the Shamrocks went 0 for 4 and the Mariners going 0 for 6, including a 4 minute advantage with 7:45 remaining in the second.
Only 2:47 in the extra frame the defending champions season was over, as Sebastien Decaens would score his fourth of the playoffs propelling the Moose Light Shamrocks into the Lake City Cup Final.
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