By: Daniel Vazzoler
The Carleton Place Canadians had to come from behind three times Thursday night, but they were able to convert all three times to pick up a 4-3 victory over the Cornwall Colts in over-time.
A three-point night from Tim Theocharidis and two goals from Travis Broughman helped Carleton Place get the victory, while Michael Leach back-stopped the Canadians to his fourth win of the season – making 11 saves on 14 shots in the process.
The night wasn’t as easy at the other end of the ice as the Canadians put Liam Lascelle through a shooting gallery. The Colts netminder faced 49 shots in the over-time defeat.
In the first period, Carleton Place had 14 shots but nothing to show for it as the only shot they allowed beat Leach. Cameron Hebert beat the Carleton Place goaltender with only 1:18 left in the first period for the first shot he faced.
Broughman responded for the Canadians in the middle of the second period with a power play goal before Jeremy Quesnel restored the Colts lead.
Broughman tied the game in the final minute of the second period. He took the long pass from Theocharidis before driving wide around the defense and using a power move to the front of the net to beat Lascelle with a backhand shot.
Carleton Place trailed for a third time early into the third period as Alec Vent scored 3:55 into the period.
It appeared the previous comeback efforts would be for naught until Theocharidis struck on the man advantage to tie the game with 1:21 left in regulation. The defenceman’s long wrist shot found its way through traffic in front of Lascelle and past the Colts goaltender for the game-tying goal.
Theocharidis’s goal would have meant very little had it not been for a highlight reel save from Leach with less than seven minutes to play and the Canadians trailing by a goal. The Colts entered on an odd-man rush and a cross-crease pass led to a chance on the edge of the crease for Cornwall. Leach followed the play step for step and robbed the Colts player in front and kept the score a one goal difference.
The Theocharidis goal set the stage for Connor Hill to make a highlight play of his own for the game-winning goal in over-time. Hill deked past the defender at the side of the net and then used a between the legs shot to beat Lascelle and the Colts in the process.
Carleton Place stays on the road as it plays the Hawkesbury Hawks on Friday in a game that has been moved from Hawkesbury to Alexandria. Puck drop has also changed as the game will now begin at 8 p.m.
