Two unanswered goals by the Stony Plain Flyers in the third period of the deciding game in the best-of-five series grounded the Morinville Jets in the Capital Junior B Hockey League playoffs.
The second goal of the night by Wyatt Williams knotted the score with 12:52 to play and affiliate Mitchell McEwan potted the series winner with 48 seconds remaining to cap off the 5-4 comeback victory Sunday at Ray McDonald Sports Centre.
The Jets led 3-2 after 20 minutes on goals by Lee Gadoury, Riley VanBrabant and Brett Dubuc and VanBrabant's second of the game, a power-play marker, made it 4-2 in the second.
The Flyers pulled to within one of the Jets with five seconds left in the period.
Shots were 14-12 Flyers in the third and 48-33 overall for the Jets.
The netminders were Colton Kucher (1-2, 4.21 GAA) of the Jets and Luke Hall (5-2, 3.43 GAA) of the Flyers.
The Flyers forced a fifth game in Friday's 6-2 win at Glenn Hall Centennial Arena.
The teams traded wins on their home ice before the Flyers prevailed in game five in Morinville.
The Jets (27-7-4) and Flyers (17-18-3) finished first and fifth, respectively, in the west division and in the playoffs the Jets had a first-round bye and the Flyers swept the fourth-place St. Albert Merchants (18-16-4) 9-3 and 5-3 in the best-of-three opening round.
In league play, the Jets beat the Flyers 5-2 and 7-2 in Morinville and 12-6 in Stony Plain after losing the season opener 3-2 in a shootout on the road.
The next playoff series for the St. Albert Royals starts tonight in the Rural & Midget 15 AA Hockey League.
Faceoff is 7:45 p.m. against SSAC Dolce Vita Homes at Confederation Arena.
Game two in the best-of-five semifinal is 7:30 p.m. Friday at Akinsdale Arena and game three is 2:45 p.m. Saturday at Confederation Arena.
If needed, game four is 6:45 p.m. Monday and game five is March 8 at 7:45 p.m. at Confederation Arena.
The winner plays SSAC Besa Power Skating (22-6) or the SPKAC Senators (13-12-3) in the best-of-five league final starting March 11.
Three wins and three points separated second-place SSAC (21-6-1, 119 GF/64 GA) and the third-place Royals (18-6-4, 116 GF/51 GA) in the eight-team standings.
The Royals lost three times to SSAC by scores of 5-2, 4-2 and 2-1 and the teams skated to a 2-2 draw Dec. 13 in St. Albert.
Both teams swept their best-of-three quarter-final series and last weekend the Royals defeated the PAC Saints (11-15-2) 3-0 in St. Albert and 4-1 in Spruce Grove.
Josh Ironside stopped 23 shots in game one and Evan Hergott was tested 25 times in game two.
Zach Chizen led the Royals in points in the series with three.
The midget AAA St. Albert Slash hosts the Edmonton Pandas tonight in the Alberta Female Hockey League.
Game time is 8:15 p.m. at Go Auto Arena.
Last weekend the first-place Slash (24-2-1) posted three wins in three days and two were against the second-place Rocky Mountain Raiders (16-9-3) by scores of 6-1 in Airdrie and 3-2 in St. Albert.
The Slash also defeated the Calgary Fire (11-16-1) 5-1 in St. Albert.
Madison Willan of the Slash leads the AFHL in scoring with 20 goals, including a league-high seven power-play markers, and 40 points. The Edmonton product is also second in assists with 20.
Cassidy Maplethorpe of Wetaskiwin is the top playmaker with 22 assists and Tera Meropoulis of Edson ranks second in goals with 19 goals and is tied with Maplethorpe for second in points with 36 apiece.
The Slash tandem of Brianna Sank (10-0, 1.40 GAA, four shutouts) of Ardrossan and Camryn Drever (13-3, 1.41 GAA, two shutouts) of Edmonton are the AFHL's leading netminders.
The Slash wraps up league play against the Lloydminster Steelers (12-15-1) Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at Mark Messier Arena and Sunday at 1:30 p.m. in the Border City.
Eight players took turns scoring in the second-last home game of the season for the St. Albert Flyers in the Alberta Minor Midget AAA Hockey League.
Erik Boers, captain Blake Sydlowski (power play), Dominik Cesarz, Cam Aucoin (shorthanded), Tyler Pitre, Stuart Dovey, Logan McKinley and Carson Henry found the back of the net on 55 shots in Sunday's 8-1 drubbing of the Maple Leafs (5-26-6) at Akinsdale Arena.
Henry's goal was his 31st of the season and is second on the Flyers in points with 60.
Sydlowski is third in league scoring with 69 points.
Ryley Osland (17-2-1, 1.65 GAA) faced 16 shots as the Flyers improved to a league-best 32-3-1 (199 GF/52 GA) as the north division leaders.
The Lethbridge Hurricanes (27-2-6, 189 GF/57 GA) are the top team in the south division.
League play ends Sunday for the Flyers against the visiting CBHA Rangers (19-12-4), a south division team.
Upcoming for the Flyers is the Sutter North Cup, March 9 to 12 at the Terwillegar and Callingwood arenas.
The tournament consists of eight north teams and the two finalists advance to the March 22 to 26 provincials in Grande Prairie.
