Spits score overtime win to extend series with Hounds (photos added)

The Soo Greyhounds and Windsor Spitfires will need at least a fifth game to declare a winner in their Ontario Hockey League western conference quarterfinal series.

Steve Downie scored his second goal of the game 1:40 into overtime on the power play to lift the Spitfires to a 4-3 win on Thursday night in Windsor.

Windsor trims the Hounds' series lead to 3-1 with game five in the best-of-seven affair scheduled for Saturday at Memorial Gardens beginning at 7:30 p.m.

The Greyhounds entered the game with only 10 forwards as the team dressed without centre Tyler Kennedy, who was handed a three game suspension by the OHL on Thursday for a stick swinging incident in game three on Wednesday.

The Hounds were also without the services of suspended forward Jacob King and the sidelined Matt Leszczynski.

Blair Jarrett opened the scoring for the Greyhounds at 12:58 of the first period with his third goal of the playoffs.

Windsor controlled the play in the first period and their efforts finally paid off in the second period when Downie scored his first of the game at 15:17 before Paul Giallonardo scored a power play goal 2:35 later to give the Spits a 2-1 lead.

In the third period, Jordan Smith tied the game for the Hounds with a power play goal 57 seconds into the frame. The lead was short lived as Cal O'Reilly put the Spitfires ahead 3-2 at 4:46.

With the Greyhounds running out of time, Kyle Wharton scored his first goal of the series with 2:47 remaining in regulation time.

The tide turned in the Spitfires favour heading into overtime as the Hounds' Brody Todd was assessed a hooking penalty with 14 seconds remaining in the third period to set up Downie's winner.

Jarrett added an assist for a two point night while Giallonardo also set up one for the Spitfires.

Kyle Gajewski made his fourth start of the series in net for the Hounds and continued his solid play by stopping 41 of 45 shots for the game's third star honours. Kyle Knechtel faced 37 Greyhound shots in goal for the win.

A sixth game, if necessary, would be played in Windsor on Sunday while a seventh game is scheduled for Tuesday at Memorial Gardens.

Should the Hounds go on to defeat the Spitfires, the locals will meet the Owen Sound Attack, who eliminated the Plymouth Whalers on Thursday, in the western conference semi-finals beginning next weekend at Memorial Gardens.

*** KENNEDY HANDED A THREE GAME BAN:

The Soo Greyhounds were dealt another tough blow by the Ontario Hockey League before Thursday's game as Tyler Kennedy was suspended for three games by commissioner David Branch for a stick swinging incident involving Spitfires defenseman Scott Todd.

Kennedy swung his stick after Todd punched Kennedy, who was sitting on the bench at the time, after being checked into the boards at the Hounds bench by Andrew Gibbons.

"The League is of the opinion that player Tyler Kennedy of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Hockey Club used his stick in a most unacceptable fashion striking the Spitfire player in the shoulder area and as a result is suspended for three (3) games," said Branch in a statement.

"As well, player Scott Todd of the Windsor Spitfires is suspended for one (1) as the result of his interaction with a Greyhounds' player who was sitting on his player's bench."

Kennedy has two games remaining on his suspension while suspended forward Jacob King will be eligible to return on Saturday.

*** PLYMOUTH AND BELLEVILLE ARE ELIMINATED:

The Peterborough Petes and Owen Sound Attack joined the London Knights as teams who have advanced from the first round of the playoffs.

The Petes defeated the Belleville Bulls 4-1 on Thursday night to capture their series in five games while the Attack completed a four game sweep of the Plymouth Whalers with a 7-2 win. London earlier swept the Guelph Storm.

*** OHL PLAYOFF SUMMARY:

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. MISSISSAUGA vs. 8. TORONTO

(Toronto leads series 3-1)

Game 1 - Toronto 3 Mississauga 1 Game 2 - Mississauga 6 Toronto 2 Game 3 - Toronto 3 Mississauga 2 Game 4 - Toronto 3 Mississauga 1 Game 5 - Sun. April 3 at Mississauga 2:00 Game 6 - Mon. April 4 at Toronto 7:30 * Game 7 - Tues. April 5 at Mississauga 7:00 *

2. PETERBOROUGH vs. 7. BELLEVILLE

(Peterborough wins series 4-1)

Game 1 - Peterborough 5 Belleville 0 Game 2 - Peterborough 3 Belleville 2 Game 3 - Peterborough 4 Belleville 1 Game 4 - Belleville 4 Peterborough 3 (OT) Game 5 - Peterborough 4 Belleville 1

3. BARRIE vs. 6. OTTAWA

(Ottawa leads series 2-1)

Game 1 - Ottawa 5 Barrie 4 Game 2 - Barrie 4 Ottawa 1 Game 3 - Ottawa 3 Barrie 2 Game 4 - Fri. April 1 at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m. Game 5 - Sun. April 3 at Barrie, 6:00 p.m. Game 6 - Mon. April 4 at Ottawa, 7:30 p.m. * Game 7 - Tues. April 5 at Barrie, 7:30 p.m. *

4. BRAMPTON vs. 5. SUDBURY

(Sudbury leads series 3-1)

Game 1 - Sudbury 3 Brampton 2 (OT) Game 2 - Sudbury 4 Brampton 1 Game 3 - Brampton 4 Sudbury 3 Game 4 - Sudbury 2 Brampton 1 Game 5 - Fri. April 1 at Brampton 7:30 Game 6 - Mon. April 4 at Sudbury 7:30 * Game 7 - Tues. April 5 at Brampton 7:30 *

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

1. LONDON vs. 8. GUELPH

(London wins series 4-0)

Game 1 - London 3 Guelph 2 Game 2 - London 2 Guelph 1 Game 3 - London 5 Guelph 1 Game 4 - London 5 Guelph 2

2. SOO GREYHOUNDS vs. 7. WINDSOR

(Soo leads series 3-1)

Game 1 - Soo 5 Windsor 0 Game 2 - Soo 3 Windsor 1 Game 3 - Soo 2 Windsor 1 Game 4 - Windsor 4 Soo 3 (OT) Game 5 - Sat. April 2 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:30 Game 6 - Sun. April 3 at Windsor, 6:00 * Game 7 - Tues. April 5 at Sault Ste. Marie, 7:00 *

3. OWEN SOUND vs. 6. PLYMOUTH

(Owen Sound wins series 4-0)

Game 1 - Owen Sound 1 Plymouth 0 Game 2 - Owen Sound 6 Plymouth 1 Game 3 - Owen Sound 5 Plymouth 0 Game 4 - Owen Sound 7 Plymouth 2

4. KITCHENER vs. 5. ERIE

(Series tied 2-2)

Game 1 - Erie 2 Kitchener 1 (2OT) Game 2 - Erie 4 Kitchener 2 Game 3 - Kitchener 4 Erie 3 (OT) Game 4 - Kitchener 3 Erie 2 (OT) Game 5 - Fri. April 1 at Kitchener, 7:30 Game 6 - Sat. April 2 at Erie, 7:30 Game 7 - Mon. April 4 at Kitchener, 7:00 *

(* if necessary)

***

(Photos submitted by Rick Lacell.)