Mariners forward Cole Foston (Ken Chetwynd Photo)
A physical first two games for the Yarmouth Mariners and Valley Wildcats in their first-round playoff series.
It’s tied at one after Cole Foston scored in double overtime to lift Yarmouth to a 3-2 win in Game 2 Saturday night in Berwick.
Cole Foston scores in double OT as @MarinersHockey win 3-2 to even their Eastlink South Semifinal 1-1 with @Valley_Wildcats pic.twitter.com/hUDgCQ7TcH
— The MHL (@THEMHL) March 27, 2022
Sam Gillis tied it with 58 seconds left after Valley went up 2-1 late in the third.
Mariners Head Coach and GM Laurie Barron says it was like the light switched on for his club in overtime.
“We were all over them, and they have a hot goaltender. Big effort by Cole Foston, but everyone played extremely well in overtime,” says Barron.
The Mariners fired 68 shots at Wildcats goalie Antoine Lyonnais.
He got a shutout in Game 1, 3-0 in front of over 1,000 fans at Mariners Centre.
Barron says his team is gaining confidence.
“I don’t think you’ve seen the best of us yet. Playoffs are a different beast. It’s our first kick at the can, and we didn’t have our best game at home (Friday). We didn’t give up much, either. We didn’t have much luck in their end, and they got every bounce in ours.”
As far as the physical tone of the series, Barron says that’s just playoff hockey.
He says his team is starting to get gritty, and he’s excited for the rest of the series.
Game 3 goes tomorrow night at Mariners Centre.
Mariners Honoured:
Two Yarmouth Mariners were named MHL All-Stars for the 2021-22 season.
20 year old Sam Gillis got top star honours at left wing, while Ben Roode tied for a defensive position.
Eastlink South/Sud
— The MHL (@THEMHL) March 27, 2022
LW/AG – Samuel Michaud @AmherstRamblers
C – Luke Wilson @Valley_Wildcats
RW/AD – Sam Gillis @MarinersHockey
D – Brock Bartholomew (Amherst)
D – Ben Roode (Yarmouth)
D – Sean Stewart @weekscrushers
G – Mavrick Goyer @trurobearcats pic.twitter.com/vaEz2KExQ0
