Beaver Valley Nitehawks forward Jared Stocks scored in double overtime to lift the Hawks to a thriling 5-4 victory over the Grand Forks Border Bruins in Game 1 of the Neil Murdoch Division semifinal.
Hawks captain Morgan Peace and forward Kevin Duguid worked the puck in front of the Bruins net, and Stocks jumped on the loose puck went forehand-backhand and beat Grand Forks goalie Ross King for the win.
The victory gives B.V. a 1-0 edge in the best-of-seven series, in promises to be an exciting series tilt between the second and third division seeds.
The Nitehawks jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead on goals from Bradley Ross, Simon Nemethy, and Michael Hagen, but the Border Bruins stormed back in the last five minutes of the middle frame. Josh Garlough-Bell scored twice and former Nitehawk defenceman Evan Gorman tallied once as the Bruins scored three goals in three minutes to tie the game at 3-3 heading into the third.
Ross netted his second of the game, one timing a saucer-pass from Hagen on a 2-on-1 to put the Hawks up 4-3 less than two minutes into the third period.
But the Border Bruins would not go away, as Zane Avery intercepted a pass from the last B.V. man back, and drilled a shot top shelf on Hawks goalie Noah Decottignies to tie the game at 4-4 with 6:10 to play.
The Nitehawks went on the power play with two minutes left in regulation but couldn’t capitalize. They then dominated the first overtime, and had another power-play opportunity, but King proved the difference, shutting the door despite several good looks from the Hawks top snipers.
The Bruins charged back in the second OT period and had the best chance early, with Avery bursting in on a breakaway only to be stymied by Decottignies. The Nitehawks countered and came back the other way, and finally found an answer for the Grand Forks goalie, as the rookie Stocks netted the OT winner.
Beaver Valley outshot Grand Forks 42-28 with Stocks earning the Home Star and King the Away Star for the Bruins.
Game 2 goes Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the Beaver Valley Arena.
