Music: {allcanada} PETGRAVE'S OVERTIME WINNER PUTS ATTACK BACK IN OHL FINAL

Friday, May 6, 2011

{allcanada} PETGRAVE'S OVERTIME WINNER PUTS ATTACK BACK IN OHL FINAL

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - The Owen Sound Attack are back in the Ontario Hockey League championship series picture thanks to defenceman Matt Petgrave.

The six-foot-two, 185-pound rearguard scored an unassisted goal less than a minute into the first overtime period Friday to lift the Attack to a 6-5 victory over the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors and cut Mississauga's lead to 2-1 in the best-of-seven OHL championship round.

"I just read the play," said Petgrave, who scored a hat trick for the Attack that clinched the Western Conference final against the Windsor Spitfires back on April 27.

"I picked off the puck, waited for our guys to get back on side and then just put it in," continued Petgrave in describing how he corralled a loose puck at Mississauga's blue-line and then beat St. Mike's goaltender J.P. Anderson with a 30-foot slapshot just 56 seconds after the start of the extra period.

The Attack carried a 5-3 lead into the third but the Majors, who suffered only their second loss in 16 post-season games, scored twice, including a somewhat controversial goal with just over five minutes remaining in regulation time that tied the score 5-5.

It was a must-win for the Attack, who lost by scores of 5-2 and 6-2 in the first two games of the series.

"Obviously with a 2-0 deficit, it was going to be a much bigger uphill climb if we lost," said Owen Sound coach Mark Reeds. "We just wanted to be a bit more aggressive on the forecheck, get in there and create some chances.

"It all comes down to execution," continued Reeds, named OHL coach of the year last month. "You have to execute to be successful. We were not very effective in the second period of the first two games and we were tonight."

Andrew Shaw, with his second goal of the game and 10th of the playoffs, and Michael Halmo scored in the second for the Attack to break a 3-3 tie and put the visitors up by two heading into the third.

The Majors bounced back in the third period on goals by defenceman Brett Flemming and Devante Smith-Pelly's second of the night to tie the game 5-5, sending it into overtime.

Smith-Pelly's third-period goal, at 14:38, was initially waved off by referee Dave Lewis because it appeared as though the net had been dislodged from its moorings before the puck had crossed the goal line.

However, the play was reviewed and the video showed the net was still on the moorings after it had trickled over the line. Lewis overturned his initial call and the Majors were credited with the goal.

"Full marks to them (Owen Sound)," said Dave Cameron, coach and general manager of the Majors. "Obviously, it was 2-0 in the series and we knew they would come at us with their best game."

Robby Mignardi, with his fourth goal of the series, and Garrett Wilson had the other goals for the Attack.

Rob Flick and Maxim Kitsyn also scored for the Majors, who lost for the first time on home ice in this year's playoffs.

"We're a pretty good team and we know that we just have to go hard for 60 minutes," said Flemming, looking ahead to Game 4 Sunday afternoon in Owen Sound.

Michael Zador was a surprise starter in goal for the Attack after Scott Stajcer had started the first two games against Mississauga.

Zador, making his first appearance since Game 3 of the Western Conference semi-finals against the Plymouth Whalers back on April 7, stopped 33 of 37 shots.

Anderson, who has played in all 16 of Mississauga's playoff games, stopped 21 of 27 shots.