OWEN SOUND, Ont. - Cameron Brace beat JP Anderson on a breakaway 16 minutes into overtime to hand the Owen Sound Attack a 2-1 win over the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors on Sunday.
After the Attack failed to score on a power play earlier in overtime it was the rookie, Brace, who found himself all alone on a breakaway.
"I was lucky enough to get a good bounce from a Joey Hishon pass," said Brace. "I just came in, (Anderson) was looking a little off. So, I found a way to squeak it in."
Brace's goal, only his second of the playoffs, evens the Ontario Hockey League's J. Ross Robertson Cup final at 2-2.
Robby Mignardi's late goal in the third period had forced the extra period for the Attack. Michael Zador made 41 saves to earn the win.
Justin Shugg was the lone scorer for Mississauga. Anderson stopped 38 shots for the Majors.
For the second straight game Owen Sound and the Majors needed extra time to settle a winner.
The two teams went scoreless for 55 minutes before Shugg had his goal.
Shugg split the Attack defence and dumped the puck off the end boards. As he skated toward the net the puck rebounded off the boards and onto his stick. He beat a stunned Zador with a low shot at 15:21 of the third.
"We talked about the lively boards here," said Shugg. "I knew it was a one-on-two. We haven't been dumping the puck as great as we want to. We're dumping it right to the goalie and I think that's something our team can work on.
"I just felt I could get a burst of speed past the defenceman and that's exactly what I tried to do."
Owen Sound was awarded a power play off the ensuing faceoff.
Just 55 seconds after Shugg's goal Mignardi jumped on a Joey Hishon rebound, scoring his 14th of the playoffs.
"We were fortunate to get a gratuitous bounce on the power play that we had to be able to tie the game up," said Attack coach Mark Reeds.
Owen Sound took a page from the Majors' playbook, matching Mississauga's stifling defensive play throughout the game.
Both teams penalty-killing units dominated Game 4. Only Mignardi scored on the power play as the two clubs combined to go 1-for-9 with the man-advantage.
Each goalie stopped multiple odd-man rushes highlighted by a four-on-one break by the Majors in the second period that Zador handled easily.
What the teams lacked in offence they made up for with physical play.
The Majors' Marc Cantin set the tone early, stopping a rushing Matt Petgrave dead in his tracks, with a huge hit at the blue-line. Liam Heelis responded for the Attack with big hit of his own on the Majors' Mika Parttanen.
Mignardi extended his point streak to nine games. He has seven goals and 11 points in that stretch.
Zack Nastasiuk, the Attack's first-round draft pick in Saturday's OHL Priority Selection was on hand to watch the game. He received a standing ovation during the second period.
This marks the first time since February that the Majors have lost back-to-back games. They lost three from February 11-16 to Plymouth, Ottawa and Oshawa.
Game 5 is back in Mississauga Ont., on Tuesday night.
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