Music: {allcanada} OHL: SHALLA SCORES THE OT WINNER AS SPIRIT TOP SPITFIRES

Sunday, April 10, 2011

{allcanada} OHL: SHALLA SCORES THE OT WINNER AS SPIRIT TOP SPITFIRES

WINDSOR, Ont. -- Josh Shalla scored the overtime winner as the Saginaw Spirit defeated the Windsor Spitfires 5-4 Sunday to even their Ontario Hockey League Western Conference semi-final at a game apiece.

Shalla, who set a Saginaw franchise record with 47 goals during the regular season, scored his sixth goal of the post-season just over two minutes into extra time while parked in front of Windsor netminder Jack Campbell.

Garret Ross, John McFarland, Ben Chiarot and Shalla all had a goal and an assist for the Spirit, while Brandon Saad had a single.

Tom Kuhnhackl struck twice for Windsor, while Stephen Johnston and Jake Carrick also found the back of the net.

The overtime game was Windsor's fourth and their third loss in nine playoff games this spring.

Johnston and Kuhnhackl scored to give Windsor a 2-0 lead just over four and a half minutes into the game before McFarland and Chiarot replied for Saginaw to tie the game at 2-2 after 20 minutes of play.

McFarland's slapshot from the top of the left face-off circle stopped Spitfire netminder Jack Campbell's shutout streak at just less than 77 minutes.

Johnston's one-timer, his fifth of the playoffs, extended his point-scoring streak to nine games.

Kuhnhackl notched his second goal of the game and Carrick also scored before Ross replied for the Spirit to give Windsor a 4-3 lead after two periods of play.

Saad scored midway through the third period to tie the score at 4-4 and send the game into extra time, setting the stage for Shalla's heroics.

Ryan Ellis and Alexander Khokhlachev both chipped in with a pair of assists for Windsor.

Special teams went a long way in deciding the outcome of the contest.

Windsor was unable to score on any of its five power plays, including a two-man advantage late in the second period, while the Spirit capitalized on one of their two opportunities with the extra player.

Mavric Parks made 29 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Spirit while Campbell also made 29 stops at the other end.

The series resumes Tuesday in Saginaw.

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Majors 3, Wolves 2

SUDBURY, Ont. -- Mika Partanen scored the game-winning goal in the third period as the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors beat the Sudbury Wolves 3-2 in Ontario Hockey League playoff action Sunday evening.

Justin Shugg scored on the power play and Stuart Percy scored at even strength for the Majors.

Marcus Foligno scored a power-play goal and Eric O'Dell scored short handed for the Wolves.

After a scoreless first period in which the Wolves were out-shot 18-10, Sudbury scored twice in the second period to take control of the game.

Shugg replied for Mississauga in the dying minutes of the second to bring the game within one.

The Majors kept pressing in the third, out-shooting the home team 24-6. Mississauga added a pair of goals in the third period to come from behind for the victory.

Wolves goaltender Alain Valiquette earned first star honours by stopping 60 of the 63 shots he faced in the loss. Majors goalie JP Anderson saved 22 of 24 shots in the win.

Both teams scored one power-play goal on three chances.

The Majors now lead the best-of-seven series 2-0. Game 3 will be in Mississauga, Ont., Tuesday night.