Royals Win 4-2, Force Game 6 Sunday Night
For the third time in this year’s Junior B hockey playoffs, the Richmond Royals played a game with their backs against the wall, facing elimination.
And for the third time, they came away with a win.
Coming off a double overtime loss at home that put them behind 3-1 in their Eastern Ontario Junior Hockey League playoff series against the Carleton Place Jr. Canadians, the Royals responded Friday night by earning a 4-2 win in Carleton Place Friday.
The win sets up a Game 6 match-up at the Richmond Memorial Community Centre Sunday at 7:30 p.m.
On Tues., March 19, the teams met in Carleton Place, with the Jr. Canadians taking a 2-1 series lead after a 5-1 win.
Gage Bujold scored the Royals goal from Cameron Donaldson. Jaxon McVie-Stevenson had a hat trick for the Jr. Canadians with Anthony Hatzitheodosiou and Hunter Robitaille each scoring one.
The following night, the teams met again in Richmond. The Royals were trying to tie the series, but instead the Jr. Canadians took a commanding 3-1 series lead after a 3-2 double overtime win.
The Jr. Canadians took a 1-0 lead in the first period on Anthony Hatzitheodosiouu’s goal.
Richmond clawed back in the second and took the lead late in the period. Sam McElheran scored from Trent Poitras and Connor Buffam at the 17 minute mark, and then Theo Avila scored his first of the playoffs for the Royals just 18 seconds later from Jackson Dallaire to put the Royals ahead 2-1.
In the third period, the Jr. Canadians power play went to work as Hatzitheodosiou scored his second of the game to make the score 2-2.
After that, Richmond’s Ethan Dinsdale and Carleton Place’s Charlie Laroque put on a goaltending show. Both goalies were sharp both at even strength and while shorthanded. The score remained 2-2 after the third period, and then both goalies made game-saving saves in a scoreless first overtime.
In the second overtime period, Hatzitheodosiou picked up his third point of the night as he assisted Jaxon McVie-Stevenson’s game winner at 9:57 of the second overtime.
On Friday March 22, the series shifted back to Carleton Place, where the Jr. Canadians had a chance to wrap the series up on home ice.
The Royals had other ideas, as they stayed alive with a 4-2 win.
After a scoreless first period, Sam McElheran put the Royals up 1-0 early in the second with a goal from Reid Johnston.
The Royals took a 3-0 lead early in the third as Johnston scored from Sinon Yang, and Dallaire added an unassisted goal.
Less than a minute after Dallaire’s goal, the Jr. Canadians fought back. Joe Devlin scored to make it 3-1, and then Ben Neil scored just six seconds later to make the score 3-2.
Carleton Place pressured Richmond for the tying goal, but goalie Sam Nolan was solid. The Royals iced the game with 21 seconds left as Dylan Rorwick scored his EOJHL playoff-leading 14th goal from Christian White.
It was the third win for the Royals while facing elimination. In the first round, the Renfrew Timberwolves were on win away from knocking out the Royals, but they responded with two wins to stay alive and advance.
The Royals will be facing elimination for the fourth time Sunday night as they host the Canadians for Game 6. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m.
