Post-season fun in Berwick

Wildcats, Bearcats split opening two games of Maritime Junior Hockey League playoffs

The visiting team won the opening two games of the Valley Wildcats-Truro Bearcats playoff series.

Valley won 2-1 to gain home-ice advantage March 19 but Truro regained the advantage by winning 3-2 in overtime March 20 in Berwick.

Game 3 of their Maritime Junior Hockey League quarterfinal was March 22. Results were unavailable at press time. Game 4 goes Friday, March 24, at 8 p.m. in Berwick. Here’s a recap of the opening games.

VALLEY 2 TRURO 1

Justin Bourque made 40 saves as the Wildcats defeated the Bearcats 2-1 in Game 1.

Defenceman Dylan Chisholm and centre Brendan MacRitchie gave the Wildcats a 2-0 lead with second period goals before 1,060 fans at the Rath Eastlink Community Centre. Cole Foston, Ethan Landry and Cole McKeigan had the assists.

Sam Archibald, from Lucas Canning and Merle Putnam, cut the deficit in half with about three minutes to play in the middle stanza.

Rookie Jack Milner stopped 20 shots for the Bearcats.

Valley was 0-for-1 on the power play but killed all five of Truro’s opportunities with the man advantage.

TRURO 3 VALLEY 2

Landon Miron was the overtime hero as Truro evened the series with a 3-2 victory in Game 2 before 600 fans at the Kings Mutual Century Centre.

He scored four minutes into the extra frame with Tanner

Humber-Dredge registering the lone assist.

Archibald gave the visitors a 1-0 lead 2:31 into the contest on the power play. McKeigan tied it six minutes into the second period. Canning restored the visitors’ lead seven minutes later but it didn’t last long as MacRitchie tied it two minutes after Canning's goal.

Ethan Kearney, Landry and Chisholm each had an assist for Valley while Ryan Maynard chipped in a helper for Truro.

Connor Martin made 38 saves for the victory while Bourque stopped 43 shots in the loss. Truro held a 1-0 lead after the first period while the teams went to the third tied

2-2. Truro went 1-for-1 on the power play while Valley could not cash in on four opportunities with the man advantage.

The Bearcats (33-16-1-2) finished second in the Eastlink South Division, 21 points ahead of the third-place Wildcats (2226-3-1).

JASON MALLOY PHOTOS Truro Bearcats goalie Connor Martin kicks out his left pad to stop Valley Wildcats right-winger Cole McKeigan during the third period of a tied Game 2 March 20 at the Kings Mutual Century Centre in Berwick. The Bearcats won the game 3-2 in overtime to tie the best-of-seven Maritime Junior Hockey League quarter-final 1-1.

Valley Wildcats teammates, from left, Adam MacDonald, Dylan Chisholm and Cole McKeigan celebrate McKeigan’s second period goal during Game 2 of their playoff series with Truro at the Kings Mutual Century Centre on March 20.

Valley Wildcats co-captain Ethan Kearney, right, watches his shot deflect up and over the Truro Bearcats net during Game 2 of their playoff series March 20 in Berwick.

Valley Wildcats defenceman Aiden Clarke, of Port Williams, fires a shot towards the Truro Bearcats net during the first period of their March 20 playoff contest in Berwick.

Valley Wildcats centre Jason Kwestel, centre, defends against Truro Bearcats left-winger Sam Archibald behind Valley goalie Justin Bourque’s net March 20.