Meteors blank RedHawks to take 3-2 series lead
The Fort Erie Meteors got back on track doing what they do best.
The Meteors rebounded from a 4-0 loss in Game 4 to defeat the Cambridge RedHawks 1-0 Thursday night at home.
The Mets now lead the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League best-of-seven quarter-final playoff series 3-2 and can advance to the semifinals with a win in Game 6 Saturday in Cambridge.
“It hasn’t been an easy week here,” Fort Erie general manager/coach Nik Passero said. “There’s no putting it lightly. We knew the pressure was on us, we’re not naive. We know the pressure was on us, but our guys handled it pretty well.
“It was great crowd (1,020) on a Thursday night and what more can you say about John Lloyd? He made some huge saves and their guy (Lennart Neisse) again stood on his head. He made 10, 10-bell saves. I think that’s a great playoff game.”
Passero said it was vital the Meteors find a way to get back on track.
“I told them if you could bottle momentum, you’d be a billionaire,” he said. “We found a way to take it back. I think it started in the third period up there on Tuesday. I think they know that we’re a team that will bring it any night.”
Lloyd came through with a solid effort between the pipes to earn the shutout.
“Well, it’s the best feeling game in the world,” Lloyd said when asked about the shutout. “I don’t think anything else could describe winning at home in front of these fans, especially with a big zero on the board there. You know, obviously it takes a lot of help from the team as well.”
Lloyd said the RedHawks are a formidable opponent who can be tough to defend.
“They just move the puck really well, you know,” he said. “They zip the puck around the zone, they make good passes, and they just have good vision around as well.”
The Meteors took a 1-0 lead eight minutes into the game on a power-play goal by Jack Ryan and made it stand up the rest of the way.
“We haven’t scored in the first period I think since Game 1,” Passero said. “That was important for us, having a good start. The power play has been leaking a little bit and they scored a huge goal for us. The PK (penalty kill) gave up three Tuesday and they pitched a shutout tonight. I think special teams and goaltending wins series and that’s where we’re headed.”
The Meteors would love nothing more than to put an end to the series Saturday rather than come back home Tuesday for a winner-take-all Game 7.
“I think everyone wants to get the job done and move this series along,” Passero said. “I think our best game of the series was Game 2 up there, so we have to know that. We were pretty dominant there.
“We’re excited to get there and get the job done.”
Fort Erie leading scorer Sam Tonelli returned to the lineup Thursday.
“He’s been itching and begging to play so you know I thought the extra week helped him and he was really good tonight,” Passero said.
STATS PACK
Meteors 1 RedHawks 0
Fort Erie goaltender John Lloyd with 25 saves for the shutout.
Fort Erie Meteors: Jack Ryan (2).
Cambridge RedHawks: No scoring.
Game stats: Shots on goal: By Fort Erie on Lennart Neisse (36), by Cambridge on John Lloyd (25); Power plays: Fort Erie 1/6, Cambridge 0/.4; Penalty minutes: Fort Erie 15, Cambridge 19.
Attendance: 1,020.
Up next: Game 6 Saturday in Cambridge. Game 7, if necessary, Tuesday, April 1 at Fort Erie.
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