Game 3, Eastern Conference Championship Series
(3) Fort Erie Meteors 5
(1) St. Catharines Falcons 1
(FEM leads best-of-7 series 2-1)
Big first period, Tonelli’s 4-point game propel Meteors to series lead
The Meteors (10-3) scored three unanswered goals in the first period and Sam Tonelli had a goal and three assists in a 5-1 win over the Falcons (9-3) to take a 2-1 series lead in front of 847 spectators at the Seymour Hannah R.C. (game hilites)
The Meteors built a 3-0 lead on goals from Danny Adamo (5), Kyle Adamo (4) and Jack Ryan (4) in the last half of the first period. The Meteors’ Tate Donald (4) and the Falcons’ Brendan Grenville (6) traded goals in the third period before Tonelli — who extended his point streak to 8 games — scored his 4th goal of the playoffs into an empty net.
VIDEO: Meteors score 3 in first, take 2-1 series lead
John Lloyd (W, 10-3) made 30 saves for the Meteors, while Falcons netminder Hayden Jeffery (L, 9-3) stopped 22 of 26 shots faced.
Meteors GM/head coach Nik Passero acknowledged the importance of the fast start, but also noted the play of his netminder in the second when the Falcons pushed to get back into the game. “Have to be happy with a 3 goal first period but they really showed the team they are in the second. We were lucky to get out of that period without getting scored on, John Lloyd had some great saves.”
Falcons general manager Zack Schipper was pleased with his team performance in the second period but felt the difference in the game was the ability to convert scoring chances. “Fort Erie capitalized on their chances tonight. We weren’t able to do that. Loved our second period but we weren’t able to put one home .”
The Falcons, who had scored 5 or more goals in each of their first six home games of the playoffs, were held to 1 goal for the first time since a 3-1 loss in Hamilton in Game 1 of the opening round. The last time the Falcons were held to one goal at home in the playoffs was to the Meteors in Game 6 of the 2024 conference semi-final.
The Meteors were 1/2 on the power play, and are 3/8 (37.5%) for the series. The Falcons were 0/5 with the man advantage and are 3/12 (25.0%) in the series.
Game 4 will take place Wednesday night at the Fort Erie Leisureplex. Game time is 7:00pm.
The Western Conference Championship Series also resumed on Tuesday as the visiting #2 Chatham Maroons took a 2-1 series with a 4-1 win over #1 St. Marys Lincolns. Click here for a full recap.
