Metros back in IJHL final

After 4-3 road win over Red Wings

It’s a series!

The Sherwood-Parkdale A&S Scrap Metal Metros pulled out a 4-3 road win over the Arsenault’s Fish Mart Western Red Wings on Friday night.

The Metros’ win cuts the Red Wings’ lead in the bestof-seven Island Junior Hockey League championship series to 2-1.

The Metros will have a chance to even the series on home ice at the Cody Banks Arena in Charlottetown when they host Game 4 on Sunday at 7:30 p.m.

The Metros’ victory on Friday also guarantees a fifth game will be played in Abram-Village on Tuesday, also a 7:30 p.m. start.

At the Evangeline Recreation Centre, the Metros, who never trailed in the contest, jumped out to period leads of 2-0 and 4-2.

The Metros extended that lead to 3-0 before the twominute mark of the second period, but the Red Wings answered back with two goals to make it a one-goal game with 7:45 to go in the second period.

However, Sherwood-Parkdale responded with a goal to enter the second up by a pair. Affiliated player Nick Reeves scored his second goal of the night with 3:02 remaining in regulation time to bring the Red Wings to within one goal, and set the stage for an exciting finish.

Four different players

Four different players – Pat McGuigan, Tanner Lund, Taylor Runighan and Jordan Birt – dented the twine for the Metros, who scored their final two goals with the man advantage.

Birt’s power-play marker at 17:37 of the second period gave the Metros a 4-2 lead, and stood up as the gamewinner. Logan Toole (2), Cody McPhee, Grant Koughan, Nick Currie and Connor Gray chipped in with assists. Chasse Gallant netted the other Red Wings’ goals while single helpers were credited to Isaac Knox, Calvin McRae, Braeden Stewart and Jason Gallant.

Overall, Sam Walsh, who stopped 30 shots over the final two periods, turned aside 43 of 46 shots in earning the goaltending victory.

Luke Oliver played the first two periods in goal for the Red Wings, and made 28 saves. Bronson Banks started the third period between the pipes for Western, and stopped all eight shots directed his way. Referees Paul Matte and Nolan Cornish called seven minor penalties against the Red Wings while the Metros were whistled for six minor infractions.

The Red Wings opened the series with a 4-0 victory on home ice Tuesday, and prevailed 4-3 in Game 2 at the Cody Banks Arena on Thursday night.

JASON SIMMONDS/JOURNAL PIONEER Sherwood-Parkdale Metros goaltender Sam Walsh stopped the Western Red Wings’ Jason Gallant on this first-period scoring chance in Game 3 of the best-of-seven Island Junior Hockey League final series as Alex Hall hustles back on defence. Walsh made 43...

JASON SIMMONDS/JOURNAL PIONEER The Sherwood-Parkdale Metros’ Logan Toole, 20, keeps a close eye on the Western Red Wings’ Cole Hackett, who just made a pass on a rush into the offensive zone. The Red Wings’ Nick Reeves, 10, who scored two goals, pursues the puck. The action took...