(From Left) Charlie Burkitt was all smiles after Nathan Howe scored the game winner for the U15 Heidelberg Kings Tuesday night. (Jason Parks/Gazette Staff)
The U15 Heidelberg Materials Prince Edward County Kings never led in Game 1 of the Eastern Ontario Minor Hockey League finals Tuesday night.
Until they did.
Captain Nathan Howe slipped past a Loyalist Jets defender on the left side, skated to the goal line and lifted a puck top bunk from a nearly impossible angle at 1:41 of overtime. The locals escaped Game 1 with a 4-3 win in front of about 300 fans at Lehigh Arena.
With a win in Loyalist March 26, the Kings could secure an EOMHL title and punch their ticket into the Ontario Minor Hockey Association Red Hat Championships in Halton Hills April 3-5.
“We spoke to Nathan in the hallway during the intermission and told him he was selected to be our captain for a reason,” Kings skipper Brad Quaiff told the Gazette after the game. “He went out and was our best player in overtime. He didn’t disappoint.”
It was a gritty comeback effort by the Kings who trailed three times in the contest including into the final minute of regulation.
After the Jets broke the ice in the first, the Kings bagged an equalizer in the second stanza.
Will Prinzen and Gavin Hebert completed a nice passing to afford triggerman Connor Simmons time and space to blast away at the Jets net from the high slot at 3:01 into the frame.
Loyalist retook a one goal lead with just under four minutes to play.
But the Kings earned a 5-on-3 man advantage at the end of the second.
Just 13 seconds into the third, the Kings squared the affair for a second time. Controlling the opening face off and gaining the offensive zone, Charles Burkitt set up Weston Kingsley for a one timer that zipped into the Jets net and made the score 2-2.
Kings netminder Ben Kelly had no chance on Loyalist’s third goal, a one timer from the slot area at 11:55.
The Kings came tantalizingly close in the third to tying it up but Jets goaltender Jack Murphy continued to shut the door.
Finally, the Kings broke through. Jasper Quaiff picked up a loose puck from the half wall and fired a bullet five hole on the Loyalist goalie with 48 seconds left in the contest, making it 3-3.
“As a staff we were very proud of the response but we never give up on a game and that’s been the case all season,” Coach Quaiff said.
If Game Three is required, the Kings and Jets face off Thursday, March 27 at Lehigh Arena. Puck drop is 7 p.m. For playoff updates, visit www.pecmha.ca
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