Game Three in Leamington started out fast with lots of back and forth action bringing many chances for both teams. The scoring opened up with Leamington as Ryan Gagnier was able to get the puck through tight in net at 5:06. The period brought lots of big hits and action after the whistle. Consequentially, twice London had the power play due to these confrontations drawing many roughing after the whistle calls. As a result, on the second power play, Noah Tooke buried a shot from the point to tie the board at 18:49. The Nationals went into the second period tied with the shots 16-14.
The aggression from the first period carried over into the second with big hits but the Nationals to slow down Leamington’s pressure. Just under six minutes into the period, Noah Tooke scores his second goal of the game off of a beautiful rebound pass from George Diaco to put the Nationals in the lead. Leamington responded just a few minutes later as Josh King tied it at 7:03. This did not slow down London as Adam Keyes uses his patience to deke out the defence and the goalie on a two-on-one to put London in the lead once again at 10:45. An interference call on Leamington just before the end of the period put London on the power play going into the third.
Very little involvement by the refs in the third period allowed for both teams play however, very few scoring chances came out of this. It wasn’t until the last five minutes of the game that the action on net increased. Shortly after Leamington pull their goalie Cohen Kiteley score his first empty-net goal by sliding for the tip in at 18:43. However, just under a minute later the extra strength benefited Leamington making the score 4-3. This did not last as great puck movement by the Nationals gave Cohen Kiteley his second empty net goal of the night making it 5-3 to close the game.
The Nationals now lead the series 3-0 and will be playing game four back at home this Wednesday at 7 PM.
