Blades drop Game 3, must win Sunday to stay alive

ESSEX – Once again in Essex Saturday night the Blenheim
Blades scored first, but then the Essex ’73s tied things at 1-1,
and added two third period goals for a 3-1 win, and a 3-0 lead
in the two teams best-of-seven PJHL Stobbs Division semi-final
series.
In the series opener the Blades led 2-0 early before losing 4-
3, and then dropped Game 2 at home Thursday 5-2. Game 4
will be Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Blenheim Memorial Arena.
The Lakeshore Canadians punched their ticket to the
Division final earlier Saturday beating the Wheatley Sharks 7-1
to sweep that semi-final in four games.
Matt Hayter’s unassisted goal at 5:07 of the second period
put the Blades up 1-0, with Nate Dowling tying things at 1-1 at
16:12.
Then at 9:10 of the third period Dowling scored again, his
fifth tally of the series, and that one proved to be the winner.
The ’73s third goal came just 37 seconds after Dowling’s
winner and went to Connor Dembinski.
BLADES BITS: Not dressed for the Blades were Ethan
Chittle, Darby Lemieux, Alec Webster, Ayden McKinlay (all
injured) and Will McCracken, university commitment…The
Blades were 0-3 on the powerplay, and Essex 0-4…Vancoillie
was outstanding in goal for Blenheim stopping 48 of 51 Essex
shots, including a penalty shot awarded to Essex captain
Gabriel Piccolo in the third period…Attendance was 725

compared to Blenheim’s attendance Thursday in Game 2 of
909.