Hamilton Bulldogs regain home advantage after tying OHL final
Published on June 10, 2022 at 10:48 p.m.
Hamilton Bulldogs goaltender Marco Costantini looks through the traffic in front of the net during the OHL Finals. (Photo: Tim Cornett, OHL Images)
It was jubilation delayed, but not jubilation denied for Gavin White and the Hamilton Bulldogs.
White, who was in the middle of a controversial third-period goal disallowed, scored 7:35 into overtime on Friday to give the Bulldogs a 3-2 win over the Windsor Spitfires in Game 4 of the League Final. Ontario hockey. The result ties the series 2-2 and creates a best-of-three, with the Bulldogs hosting Game 5 at the FirstOntario Center on Sunday (2 p.m., TSN, Bulldogs Audio Network). Game 6 returns to Windsor on Monday.
On a face-off in the offensive zone, Lawson Sherk pulled out the puck and right wing George Diaco tapped it to White, coming up from his defensive position. The quick shot from the Whites found the back of the net.
Gavin White plays the OT hero for @BulldogsOHL! #RoadtoMemorialCup | #OHLChampionship pic.twitter.com/INWjLSgB58
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 11, 2022
The Bulldogs came within two minutes of being eliminated before Nathan Staios, back from injury, scored the tying goal with 1:57 left in the third period. The shot made its way through traffic and past Spitfires keeper Mathias Onuska, who was brilliant with 41 saves.
Hamilton had a 44-22 shot-count advantage. That didn’t include at least four shot attempts that hit the goal posts and crossbar, or reflect Onuska stoned Mason McTavish and Jan Mysak on two second-period breakaways.
Mathias Onuska closes the door to Mason McTavish ❌
The @SpitsHockey goalkeeper has 26 saves in 40 minutes as Windsor leads 2-1!#RoadtoMemorialCup | #OHLChampionship pic.twitter.com/GSFcU9fzLA
— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 11, 2022
If Staios hadn’t tied the match, the story of the match would have been Ryan Humphrey’s disallowed goal with just over five minutes left in front of a crowd of 6,433 at WFCU Centrre. The goal was ruled out for goalkeeper interference as White had contacted Onuska after being cross-checked by Spitfires winger Alex Christopoulos. After a lengthy video, referees Dave Lewis and Scott Ferguson upheld the call.
Staios, the OHL defenseman of the year, was playing his first game of the series after being injured since the Eastern Conference final. His tying goal came seconds after Bulldogs head coach Jay McKee shot goaltender Marco Costantini for a sixth striker.
The Bulldogs are still without captain and defenseman Colton Kammerer due to injury.
Logan Morrison scored his playoff-leading 15th goal for Hamilton, who became the first team in the series to score the opening goal and win the game. Pickering native Josh Currie and New York Rangers draft pick Will Cuylle scored for the Spitfires. Dundas native Jacob Mailloet assisted on Currie’s scorer.
Cuylle put Windsor ahead with 7:19 left in the period when he fired a shot that went through Bulldogs goalie Marco Costantini and over the goal line.
Costantini stopped 20 of 22 shots, including a superb second-period split save on former Bulldog Michael Renwick.
Hamilton’s win ensures the series will need at least Game 6.
The last time the OHL Finals went the distance was in 2013. The London Knights beat the Barrie Colts after a last-second goal from current Vancouver Canucks center Bo Horvat with a second to do in the third period in Game 7. London also overcame a 3-1 series deficit.
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