Series is all square again

Hughes, Lynds lead attack, Rioux outstanding in net as Bearcats even up series

To this point, the Maritime Junior Hockey League’s championship final has been a homer series – four games played, four home side wins.

But the Truro Bearcats will be doing everything they can to break from the norm – they’ll have to – with the Miramichi Timberwolves holding home ice advantage in the best- of- seven series.

Saturday night at the RECC, four unanswered goals in the second period proved the difference as the Bearcats skated to a 6- 3 win, deadlocking the series once again, at two games apiece.

Brandon Hughes scored three times – all on the powerplay – and, speaking of home cooking, Denver Lynds turned in a second consecutive four- point performance on home ice.

Jason Rioux was sensational in net for the Bearcats who were outshot 47- 26 in the contest.

The Bearcats will get their first opportunity to turn the tide tonight ( Monday) in Game 5 at 7: 30 p. m. in Miramichi, while the sixth game of the set is back at the RECC Wednesday at 7 p. m.

It was a tight game at the onset Saturday night with the Timberwolves’ Brayden Uhrich scoring the only goal of the opening frame on the powerplay.

It was a different story in the second, however, as Hughes pulled the Bearcats even, less than two minutes in, while Truro enjoyed the man advantage.

Dylan Burton upped the count to 2- 1 before Hughes and Denver Lynds, on an unassisted effort, bumped the lead up

to 4- 1.

Curtis Hastings scored at 7: 33 of the third to give the Timberwolves a slim glimmer of hope but the Bearcats were quick to snuff that as Lynds scored his second of the night just 20 seconds later, from Zach Moody.

Hughes rounded out his hat trick midway through the period and Uhrich scored with just under five minutes remaining for the 6- 3 final.

Lynds finished with two goals and two assists, while Connor Morrison and Riley Baggs each chipped in a pair of assists.

As he has been throughout the playoffs, Rioux was stalwart – and on numerous occasions, spectacular – for the home side, particularly in the final 20 minutes when things got chippy and the Bearcats were outshot 19- 6.

Attendance at the game was announced as 2,346.

TRURO DAILY NEWS PHOTO Brandon Hughes and Denver Lynds watch as Lynds’s first of two goals finds the back of the net in the second period to put the Bearcats up 4- 1. The pair combined for seven points, including five of Truro’s six goals.

TRURO DAILY NEWS PHOTO Colby Tower of the Timberwolves gets in the way of Brandon Hughes as he tries to reach the puck.