Regals, Maroons play Game 4 Thursday

After Alberton staves off elimination in Game 3

The O’Leary Maroons were hoping to close things out at home Thursday night.

The Maroons hosted the Alberton Regals, and took a 2-1 lead into Game 4 of the West Prince Senior Hockey League’s best-of-five championship series.

After taking the first two games of the series in commanding fashion, the Maroons ran into a determined Regals’ attack in Alberton on Wednesday night. The Regals banged out a convincing 9-1 victory to stave off elimination.

The Regals were looking to tie up the series Thursday in O’Leary. Results of the game were not available at print deadline, but check www.journalpioneer.com for game updates.

Big crowd

In front of a paid attendance of 700 spectators at the Jacques Cartier Arena, Regals forward Jesse MacIntyre and the game’s officials all had a busy night. For MacIntyre, it was in leading the Regals with four goals and an assist. He scored three consecutive goals in a 6:12 span of the third period, two of them while the Maroons were sitting out a double minor for head contact. The Regals held period leads of 3-0 and 4-1, before MacIntyre and company turned up the heat in the final period.

The Regals took the game to the Maroons from the opening faceoff, outhitting and outskating the defending league champions all over the ice. The intensity and the animosity continued to build until midway through the third period, when both benches simply calmed, seemingly content to save some energy, and some players, for Game 4.

By that point, though, the Maroons had been assessed 16 minors and a double minor, three 10-minute misconducts, a fighting major and two game misconducts. The Regals were hit with 15 minors, five 10-minute misconducts, a fighting major and a game misconduct.

Spencer Rennie picked up the goaltending win while Chase Dyment was the victim of the Regals’ relentless attack.

Also scoring for the Regals were Logan Smallman and Matt LeFurgey with a goal and two assists each, Mitch Hardy (1-1), Garrett Lewis (1-1) and Jeff Duggan. Other assists were credited to Taylor Smith (2), Tyson McNeill (2), Luke Murphy, Fidan Feta and Alex Wallace.

The Maroons’ lone goal was scored by Aaron Sweet, assisted by Mike Adams, early in the second period.

ERIC MCCARTHY/JOURNAL PIONEER Alberton Regals captain Logan Smallman, 16, manages to pick the puck out of Maroons goaltender Chase Dyment’s pads and score. His brother, Jason Smallman, 67, was in position if a rebound had been granted. The Regals won Game 3 of their best-of-five...