RUSSELL CUP FINALS

BOBCATS WIN GAME 5 TO EXTEND RUSSELL CUP FINAL

March 29, 2011

The Elliot Lake Bobcats scored 3 times in the third period to break a 2-2 tie and defeat South Muskoka 5-2, and force the Russell Cup Final on to Game 6 on Thursday night.

The Cats still trail the Best of Seven series 3 games to 2, and now only a victory on the road in Bracebridge stands in the way of returning to Elliot Lake for Game 7 on home ice next Saturday night. 

This final continues to be one of the most competitive in GMHL history and Game 5 was no exception.  This was another tight affair, as the two teams exchanged goals in each of the first two periods before the Cats took the lead for good.

Elliot Lake opened the scoring just 1:07 into the first on a goal by Andrej Paska, only to sees Jon Adams of the Shield tie it on a power play marker two minutes later with the Cats' Braedon Rudd in the box for Checking from Behind, the only penalty in the first frame.

Mikael Hamann gave the Cats the lead again six minutes into the second, and it appeared it would hold up into the intermission, before Jericho Buwalda tied the score again with less than a minute to play in the period.  The game got a little chippy, as 4 coincidental penalties were called, including a couple of misconducts to both sides.

Facing elimination and the possibility of watching the Shield hoist the Russell Cup in their home rink, Elliot Lake came out flying in the third, outshooting the visitors 19-9 in the final 20 minutes.  They finally took the lead when Tyson MacLeod scored at 14:03 with the teams playing 4 on 4, and followed that with another 4 on 4 marker three minutes later by Chad Barros.

Facing the two goal deficit late in the game, the Shield opted to pull goaltender Sutherland and the game was sealed on Paska's second of the game, this time into an empty net.

Goaltending at both ends was outstanding, with the Shield's Rob Sutherland stopping 44 of 48 shots for 2nd Star honours, only outdone by the Cats' Tyler Ross, who made 31 saves for .939 SV% as the game's 1st Star.

The win get the Bobcats back into the series, which now moves back to Bracebridge for 6 on Thursday night. 

If last year's Game 7 Russell Cup Final crowd is any indication, the Shield might expect upwards of 1500 fans to cheer them on to victory on home ice, and make up for last year's loss to the Deseronto Storm.

And if the loyal Elliot Lake supporters are any indication, they will be crossing their fingers and holding their breath that the Cats can bring the series home for Game 7 with their own shot at hoisting the Russell Cup on home ice.