Gemini boys ice Central Elgin in league semifinals
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While the Canadian Women were winning Olympic gold, Glendale High School's boys hockey team was locked in a South East semifinal with St. Thomas Central Elgin Titans at the Tillsonburg Kinsmen Memorial Arena.
Trailing 1-0 going into the third period, there were no monumental comebacks from Central Elgin, although the Titans did even the score at 1-1 with 8:30 left to play on a goal by Robert Shaw. The comeback was denied when Glendale's Colton Lanthier, taking a pass from the boards, replied 13 seconds later with a low slapshot in the slot that caught the left corner just inside the post, his second of the game.
"A big goal by Colton to respond," said Gemini assistant coach Tim Christo.
"Super important," agreed Glendale captain Brandon Lawler. "We had to get that, had to get the confidence back."
Glendale's Thomas Laur made it 3-1 with a late goal off a goalmouth scramble with 3:15 on the clock.
"They started to fold in after that one," said Lawler.
"Central didn't play bad," said Gemini coach Derek Partlo. "Like any hockey team, with hard work and good goaltending you're in the game.
"It felt like we had to work for it today," said Partlo, adding the team was confident after the second-period flood. "We were carrying the play and confident. But just like we saw in Olympic hockey today when it's a one-goal game..."
"One shot ties it up," assistant coach Henry VanAsseldonk nodded.
Thursday's TVRA South East semifinal win leaves two possibilities for the Gemini next week depending on the outcome of Thursday's semifinal in Aylmer between East Elgin and Dorchester (posted after deadline). An East Elgin win sets up a one-game South East final with both teams advancing to WOSSAA – Glendale in the AA tourney and East Elgin to AAA. Dorchester (7-3) upsetting East Elgin (7-1) would mean a best-of-three series against Tillsonburg (6-2-2) with the winner advancing to WOSSAA AA.
Glendale 3, Central Elgin 1
Glendale scoring: 1. Colton Lanthier (Austin Hentz, Alex Sutherland); 2. Colton Lanthier (Brandon Lawler, Jesse Nunn); 3. Thomas Laur (Nick Lanthier)
Central Elgin scoring: 1. Robert Shaw (Ryan Vandenbroek)