The Penetang Kings eliminated the Huntsville Otters 4-3 in their Provincial Junior Hockey League Carruthers Division quarterfinals play-off round as Carter Wilson scored the overtime winner in Game 7 on Wednesday at the Penetanguishene Memorial Community Centre.
In what can be best described as a back-and-forth playoff battle between two closely matched squads, the Kings came out on top of Game 7 with a 5-4 overtime win.
Wilson scored four goals in the game and was named the player of the game for his efforts. Penetang led by scores of 3-0 and 4-2 before the Otters tied the game 4-4 early in the third period.
Also scoring for Penetang was Tanner Thayer, who also had three assists.
Landon Simec made 35 stops in the Penetang goal, many spectacular in nature to allow the game to get to overtime before Wilson, on an offensive rush, beat Huntsville netminder Darlan Willis on the short side with a rising shot just under the crossbar. Willis turned aside 36 Penetang shots.
With the win the Kings advance to the league semi-finals where they will face the regular-season champion Alliston Hornets.
“It is rewarding to see this young team we have battle through the ups and downs of playoff hockey and especially against a tough Otters team," Kings general manager Kyle Burns said after the dramatic win.
"You must give full credit to them on a well-played series that truly either team could have won. It’s been fun to watch our team grow as a group and as individuals and we look forward to continuing our journey against a very good Alliston hockey club.”
Earlier in the series Penetang won Game 1, lost Game 2, came out on top in Game 3 then lost both Game 4 and and Game 5. Facing elimination, the Kings went into Game 6 in Huntsville and won by a 5-3 score.
In Game 1 way back on Feb. 21 the Kings got past the Otters by a narrow 4-3 margin. Max Geere, Noah Saye, Cole Rumbolt and Camron Hutchinson scored for Penetang. Hutchinson was selected as the Kings player of the game. Simec made 29 saves in the Kings goal, while Willis turned aside 29 short for the Otters.
In Game 2 in Huntsville, the Otters turned the tables on the Kings with a 4-2 victory. Hutchinson and Rumbolt scored the Penetang goals, while netminder Simec made 31 saves. Rumbolt was named the Kings player of the game. Willis in the Huntsville nets stole the game for the Otters making 40 saves.
Back on home ice for Game 3, the Kings prevailed with a 7-3 win as Ashton Kirwin scored two goals to lead the offence, Matthew Laframboise, Harrison Holroyd, Hutchinson, Saye and Rumbolt added single tallies for the Kings.
Riley Thayer was named the Kings player of the game for his strong two-way play and his three assists. Simec recorded 32 saves in the win while Penetang fired 43 shots at Otters goaltenders Willis and Michael Purkhart.
Willis recorded the shut-out in Games 4 for the Otters as they topped the Kings by a 2-0 score in Huntsville on Feb. 28. Penetang could not beat Willis with a total of 34 shots while Kings netminder Simec turned aside 31 shots in the Penetang nets. Simec received the Kings player of the game honours. With the Huntsville win the series was tied at two games a piece and was now down to a best 2-out-of-3 series.
In Game 5 in Penetang on March 1, the Otters scored the go-ahead goal midway through the third period and hung on for a close 5-4 win. Penetang got single goals from Rumbolt, Tanner Thayer, Laframboise and Wilson. Simec faced a total of 35 shorts in the Penetang goal, while Willis saw 31 shots fired this was. Rumbolt was named the Kings player of the game.
Facing elimination in Game 6 on March 2 in Huntsville the Kings played a strong game winning 5-3 with Tanner Thayer scoring twice and single goals from Geere, Rumbolt and Wilson. Thayer with his two goals and one assist performance was named the Kings player of the game. Penetang’s offence was clicking in this game as they managed 48 shots on the Otter’s goalie Willis. Simec made 37 saves in the Kings net.
Notes: To show just how close the series was the Kings managed to outscore the Otters by just three goals (27-24).
Before Game 7 the Carruthers Division handed out two individual awards to Kings players: defenceman Max Geere as Rookie of the Year and Landon Simec as the division’s Goalie of the Year.
In the other divisional quarterfinals, the Alliston Hornets swept the Muskoka Bears in four games, the Orillia Terriers also swept the Midland Flyers in four and the Stayner Siskins got past the Innisfil Spartans in five games.
Face Alliston in league semi-finals
The Kings now faces Alliston in the league semi-finals with Game 1 in the series having been played on Friday, March 7 in Alliston with Penetang dropping a close 3-2 decision to the Hornets. Penetang goals were scored by Carter Wilson and Ashton Kirwin. Simec made 51 saves in goal for the Kings.
Game 2 is scheduled for Penetang on Monday, March 10 at 8 p.m. followed by Game 3 in Alliston on Wednesday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. and Game 4 back in Penetang on Friday, March 14 at 8 p.m. If Game 5 is required, it will be played on Saturday, March 15 at 7:30 pm in Alliston, with Game 6 on Sunday, March 16 in Penetang at 8 p.m. and Game 7 in Alliston on Monday, March 17 if necessary.