MONCTON, N.B. — Matyas Melovsky might be able to tell you a thing or two about emotional roller-coasters in a hockey game.
Melovsky and his Baie-Comeau Drakkar were facing elimination on Monday night, but were 12 seconds away from beating the Moncton Wildcats in Game 6 of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoffs when Vincent Labelle scored a short-handed goal to tie the game 3-3 and force the fourth overtime game of their first-round, best-of-seven series.
Rather than panic, the Drakkar huddled between periods and vowed to make amends for the last-minute miscue.
Melovsky scored 23 seconds into the first overtime — his second goal of the night — to give the visiting Drakkar a 4-3 victory and force a Game 7 showdown on Tuesday at the Avenir Centre in Moncton.
Justin Poirier also had two goals and an assist for the Drakkar, who scored twice on the power play. Niks Fenenko chipped in with two assists.
Charles Beaudoin and Yoan Loshing also scored for the Wildcats, who trailed 2-1 after the first period but went into the third period with the score tied 2-2.
The Wildcats outshot the Drakkar 51-27, but visiting netminder Olivier Ciarlo was superb in making 48 saves.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 10, 2023.
The Canadian Press
