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Third
period surge propels Excelsior's 1 step closer
Game 3 of the 2008 Mann Cup series
was very different from the other two games in many
respects. The end result was similar, but the Excelsior's
had to take a different path to get there.
The first period saw Brampton short-handed
for four minutes just two and a half minutes into
the game. But after killing off the entire penalty
it was Brampton's Colin Doyle that put the first
goal in the net, unlike the quick starts that New
Westminster had seen in the first two games. The
Salmonbellies were quick to respond though and evened
the game before the midway point of the period and
then took the lead three minutes later with the
teams playing four on four. With three minutes to
go they would add another to take a 3-1 lead into
the break.
Brampton's power-play was still
struggling as the second period got underway. With
4 separate opportunities in the first half of the
second period they were still unable to put one
past Richards who continued to make one brilliant
save after another. Anthony Cosmo and the Brampton
defense had tightened up, but the offense would
need to get going. Finally with three and a half
minutes to go and New Westminster down a man again
Dan Dawson blasted one home from outside. Two minutes
later Josh Sanderson would add a power-play marker
of his own in his first appearance in the series
to bring the teams back to even before the break.
With the game coming down to the
third period, the Excelsiors knew they had to improve
on their final 20 minute play as the Salmonbellies
had won both prior third periods and have dominated
the teams out west in this area. It took six minutes
of back and forth action before Patrick Merrill
took a pass from Jeff Shattler after leaving his
feet and gave the home town team their lead back.
Less than a minute later Blaine Manning found Colin
Doyle cutting through the middle and Colin made
no mistake to give Brampton a two goal lead. With
eight minutes remaining New Westminster decided
to pull their goalie for some extra help out front,
but Brodie Merrill picked off a pass a deposited
the ball in the empty net. Blaine Manning scored
diving across the crease to put a cap on a great
four goal run for Brampton, and that was all she
wrote.
The Excelsior's won game three 7-3,
and are now only one win away from hoisting the
Mann Cup. The goaltenders (Tyler Richards and Anthony
Cosmo) shared the player of the game honours. Game
4 goes Tuesday night at the Powerade Centre at 7:30
and although the Excelsior's seem to be firing on
all cylinders the Salmonbellies aren't going to
go down without one heck of a fight.
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