Smiths Falls, ON – Smiths Falls delivered in front of their home crowd, earning a dramatic overtime victory to even the Barkley Cup Championship Series at 1–1.
Smiths Falls 5, Casselman 4 (OT)
In a back-and-forth battle worthy of a championship stage, the Jr. Bears edged the Vikings 5–4 in overtime thanks to Brody Nielissen’s game-winner just 2:26 into the extra frame.
Smiths Falls opened the scoring in an unusual fashion, as Caleb Bourne converted on a penalty shot at 6:33 of the first period to give the home side an early lead.
Casselman responded in the second period with a pair of goals from Edouard Ranger and Tristan Witmer to take control, but Smiths Falls answered late in the frame when Timothy Bourne buried his eighth of the playoffs to tie things up heading into the third.
The momentum swung again early in the third as Caleb Bourne struck for his second of the night just 34 seconds in, before Tristan Simoneau answered for Casselman minutes later.
Luke Humby restored the Smiths Falls lead midway through the period, but Witmer’s second of the game at 16:36 forced overtime in a game that never lacked intensity.
In the extra frame, Nielissen played the hero, finishing the game-winning goal to send the Smiths Falls bench into celebration.
Matthew Saari turned aside 37 of 41 shots in the win, while Myles Boudreau made 25 saves for Casselman.
