Matt Shields scored in overtime as the Saugeen Shores Winterhawks came from behind once again to defeat the Tavistock Royals.
The Winterhawks erased a two-goal deficit in the third period to take a 5-4 overtime win and a 3-1 series lead over Tavistock.
The Hawks started out slowly again as bus legs got the best of them, with Tavistock jumping out to a 1-0 lead just 1:25 into the game.
Theo Peckham got the ‘Hawks on the board midway through the first as Justin Donnelly won a draw back to the Winterhawks defender, Peckham threw a shot through traffic past Tavistock goalie Grahame Noye to tie the game at 1-1.
The Royals got it back quickly on the power play to take a 2-1 lead after the first period.
Another slow start put Tavistock up 3-1, but the Winterhawks power play went to work shortly after as Medric Mercier fed a shot through traffic to cut the Royals lead to 3-2.
The good vibes were short lived as Tavistock went back up by two just under a minute later to give the Royals a 4-2 lead after two.
Leave it to one of the Winterhawks all-time greats to start the third period comeback.
Brent MacDermid broke in off the left side late on the power play and buried a shot just 1:35 into the third to make it a 4-3 Tavistock lead.
The Royals lead held until a Winterhawks power play late in regulation, when Jordan Vanhaelesmeech picked up a puck at the side of the net and buried it to tie at 4-4.
The game should have gone straight to overtime from there, but the Royals picked up another power play on a blatant dive with 30 seconds left in regulation.
The Winterhawks killed off the penalty and that set up the winner as Justin Marlowe went in two-on-one with Shields.
Marlowe fed a centering pass to Shields, who had plenty of time to bury the feed to give the Winterhawks a 5-4 win.
With two overtime wins this weekend, the Winterhawks now lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 over Tavistock.
Game 5 will be this Friday night, February 21st, with an 8:30 p.m. start in Tavistock.
Winterhawks fans are encouraged to join us at the Three Sheets Tap Room to watch the game.
