Golden Hawks survive late drama to take 2–0 series lead

Tim Bates / OJHL Images

Hayden Jeffery has been among the top goaltenders in the league all season, and on Saturday night at the Lindsay Recreation Complex he delivered what might have been his biggest save yet.

The Grimsby native stopped Ethan Kindree on a penalty shot with just one second remaining in regulation, preserving a dramatic 4–3 win for the Golden Hawks over the Lindsay Muskies in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series.

The stop gave the defending champions a 2–0 lead in their best-of-seven matchup.

Kindree had earlier opened the scoring for Lindsay in front of a crowd of 344, but the lead didn’t last long. OJHL goal-scoring leader Jack Ziliotto responded for Trenton, beating netminder George Cote to even the game.

The physical first period also saw a spirited fight between Andrew Wycisk and Nole Faulkner.

Trenton took the lead late in the second period when Isaiah Shantz found the back of the net scoring the only goal of the middle frame. Joshua Penny and captain Thomas Kuipers drew the assists on the go-ahead marker.

Just over a minute into the third period, Quinte Red Devils graduate Beckett Ewart extended the Trenton advantage to 3–1.

Shortly after, Lindsay answered on the power play as Cole MacLean cut the deficit.

Shantz seemed to seal the game when he raced to the puck and scored his second of the night into an empty net, but Ajay Rai answered right away to pull Lindsay back within one.

The Muskies kept pressing, creating several chances in front of the net in the dying seconds before eventually earning their penalty-shot attempt.

The Golden Hawks finished 0-for-5 on the power play.

American-born defenceman Preston Otting made his playoff debut, while alternate captain Duncan Schneider did not dress.

Game 3 is set for Tuesday night in Trenton, where the Golden Hawks will look to push the Muskies to the brink of elimination.