The Grandview Steelers and Richmond Sockeyes will play a seventh and deciding game in their Pacific Junior Hockey League quarter-final series on Monday night at Minoru Arena.
The Steelers rallied from a late 4-2 deficit in the third period and got the game-winner off the stick of Michael Martino early in overtime to pull out a 5-4 victory on Sunday in Game 6 at the Burnaby Winter Club.
The Sockeyes looked to be in great shape on Jason Lin’s power play goal at the 6:51 mark of the third period, then successfully killed off an extended two-man advantage to protect its 4-2 lead with just over five minutes left in regulation. But a cross checking penalty to Richmond captain Noah Kelly just over a minute later gave the Steelers some life, and Tomslav Zlomislic deposited a powerplay tally with 4:48 remaining to make it a one-goal contest. Ethan Reilly then equalized during a goal mouth scramble at the 17:51 mark.
With the Sockeyes’ pressing for the potential game winner in the dying seconds, Craig Schouten was called for goaltender interference after knocking over over the Steelers' Cale Dolan.
On the ensuring power play in overtime, Michael Martino completed the comeback just 45 seconds into the 10-minute extra session.
It was the second time the Steelers had battled back from a two-goal deficit in the game after Ryleigh Anderson and Andrew Kemp had made it 2-0 in the opening period. Michael Milosavljevic and Martino evened the score in the first period.
Dolan finished with 32 saves on the game.
Grandview entered Sunday's game with their backs to the wall, suffering a 7-0 slapdown in Game 5 last Thursday in Richmond.
Game seven goes at 7:30 p.m. with the winner facing the North Vancouver Wolf Pack in the Tom Shaw Conference finals.
