Adams OT Hero in Game One

The Temiscaming Titans came away from their game Thursday night in Bradford against the Rattlers with something that no other team in the GMHL could do this season, and that's beat the Rattlers.  The Titans managed to overcome two 3 goal deficits to tie the game late and send it to an extra period.  While shorthanded, Ryan Adams stole the puck at his own blue line and used his superior speed to break in alone on Rattlers goaltender Jonathan Loparco and beat him with a low wrist shot to give the Titans a 7-6 victory and the 1-0 final series lead with game #2 set for the Centre in Temiscaming on Saturday evening.  The Rattlers, who were an impressive 42-0 during the regular season and a perfect 10-0 in the playoffs couldn't prevent the Titans from climbing back into the game several times.  The Rattlers, who had held their 3 previous opponents in the playoffs to a measly 6 goals against while scoring 97 of their own had no answers for the Titans power play.

Bradford jumped to a first period lead with goals from Iles Gallo, Aki Virtanen and Dino Gombar before Nicolas Fournier was able to beat LoParco at 18:05 on one of the Titans four power play goals.  Francis Beauregard made it 3-2 with only 41 seconds to play in the first.  Shots were 17-14 Bradford.

The second period saw both teams exchange single goals.  Brandon Scott gave the Rattlers a 4-2 lead at 13:55 but again in the last minute of the period TItans captain Richard Abbott notched a power play goal to make it 4-3 after 40 minutes. Titans were outshot 18-15.

The Titans fell three goals down after 8 minutes of the final period as a result of goals from Gallo, with his second and Sebastian Forslund.  But in the last half of the period the Titans BBK line regained it's regular form and were controlling the play in the Rattlers zone and were rewarded with three goals in the space of 6 minutes. Beauregard, with his second at 9:27.  Then the Rattlers Myles Neuneker took a 5 minute boarding penalty and this is what the Titans needed as they scored 2 power play goals to tie the game and send it to overtime where Ryan Adams ended it with his shorthanded breakaway goal. Shots were 17-15 Titans, overall 54-48 Rattlers.

The games 3 stars were Aaron Boyce, Byron Katapaytuk & Nicolas Fournier.