RiverHawks refuse to be grounded in Game 7

Niagara rallies to eliminate Dundas in deciding game

Goals were scored in waves in an elimination game in the Provincial Junior Hockey League playoffs Monday night at Gale Centre in Niagara Falls, and the host Niagara RiverHawks rode the last wave right into the South Bloomfield Division semifinals.

No. 4 seed Niagara scored four unanswered goals in the third period for a 5-3 victory over the fifthseeded Dundas Blues and a date with the top-seeded Glanbrook Rangers in the second round.

Besides coming from behind in the deciding game, the RiverHawks also rebounded to win the best-ofseven series four games to three after trailing the Blues 2-0 at one point.

Hunter Willis, with two, including the game-winner 18:31 into the third period; Hayden Philip, Callum Harvey and Isaac McDonald, empty net; scored for Niagara, which was outshot 36-30.

Nick Cutaia, on the power play; J.D. McNeil and Kohen Jacobs replied for Dundas.

The RiverHawks have little time to celebrate advancing to the final four. Game 1 against the Rangers is Wednesday in Glanbrook with the second game set for Thursday at Gale Centre. Puck drop on both nights is 7:30 p.m.

Twenty-seven points separated Glanbrook (35-3-3-1) and Niagara (21-16-5) in the standings, but each team won three games in head-tohead play. The Rangers earned a consolation point in an overtime loss and edged the RiverHawks seven points to six. Glanbrook outscored Niagara 29-24 in the season series.

“These two teams had great games versus each other in the regular season with the ’Hawks being the only team defeating them more than once,” RiverHawks associate general manager and vice-president of hockey Winston Auld said. “They (the Rangers) only lost six games all season and the ’Hawks won three of them.”

The other semifinal, between the No. 2 seed Grimsby Peach Kings and the No. 3 Port Dover Sailors, is scheduled to get underway Thursday at Port Dover, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Game 2 is Friday in Grimsby, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Grimsby won the season series five wins to one, 10 points to four, and outscored the Sailors 33-18 in head-to-head play. Two games were decided in overtime, both in favour of the Peach Kings.

Grimsby defeated Glanbrook in a six-game final for the division championship last season.

Grimsby, in 2011-12, was the last team from what is now the South Bloomfield Division to win the Ontario junior-C Schmalz Cup. Glanbrook lost in the final in 2018 and Grimsby in 2019. The Schmalz Cup wasn’t presented in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.