The fourth-seeded Twin City Thunder battled back from a two-goal deficit in the third period to force overtime in Game 2, but the South Shore Kings scored in double overtime for a 5-4 victory Saturday in Foxboro, Massachusetts, to sweep the NCDC North Final two games to none.
Aiden Lindley sent the second-seeded Kings to the championship, scoring nearly five minutes into the second overtime.
“It was a great shot. I give the kid a lot of credit, it was a really hard shot,” Thunder coach Dan Hodge said. “It was labeled for the top corner and he got it there.”
The Kings will face the South Division champions, the P.A.L. Islanders, next weekend in a best-of-three series for the Dineen Cup.
Hodge said the Thunder had some opportunities early in the double overtime session, but couldn’t get the puck past Kings goalie Jacob Torgner (45 shots).
South Shore took a 3-2 lead on the man-advantage when Culin Wilson beat Thunder goalie Christopher Jackson (39 saves) 6:25 into the third period. Nathan Stachowiak and Charles Killian set the goal up.
Wilson was a 2019 Twin City Thunder Futures Draft Pick.
“It was a wrist shot from the point and I think (Christopher Jackson) would like to have it back, but at the end of the day it was a good shot,” Hodge said. “We had our eyes on him for a reason.”
Less than a minute late, Bryan Russell gave the Kings the game’s first two-goal lead. Kotaro Murase and Jack Hillier set the goal up.
Tristan Rand responded for Twin City, cutting the deficit to 4-3 a little over eight minutes into the third period, with Nolan Leonard and Lewiston’s Nick Pomerleau recording the assists.
“It was a good response, right place at the right time,” Hodge said. “It was a great faceoff play.”
Pomerleau tied the game with under three minutes remaining in the third period. Ricky Davis and Trace Norwell had the assists.
“A wrist shot from the point and their goalie misplayed it,” Hodge said. “He was excited, the bench was excited, and we were looking at overtime after that.”
Hodge said Pomerleau had an opportunity that just went wide in the first overtime session.
Logan Ganz put South Shore up 1-0 nearly 12 minutes into the first period, with Karim Gayfullin picking up the assist.
The game remained 1-0 into the first intermission, but Norwell came out early in the second period and tied the game at 1-1. It was his sixth goal of the playoffs.
Davis and Ben Portner picked up the assists.
“The (2002-birth years) showed up in the big games,” Hodge said. “They have been here for a couple of years; it’s amazing to see the hard work and effort they put in. Trace was hot all postseason and good to see him score. Tristan took it to a different level at the right time.”
Ganz added his fifth goal of the postseason 5:43 into the second period, giving the Kings a 2-1 lead. Lindley had the only assist.
Twin City had two straight power plays after going down 2-1 but couldn’t convert. After the second power play ended, Pomerleau went to the box for holding. The Thunder penalty kill responded when Leonard found his linemate, Rand, who beat Torgner to tie the game at 2-2 with just over eight minutes left in the middle frame.
Hodge liked how the players battled throughout the game.
“It took a lot of fortitude on their part and they played hard,” Hodge said. “We just came up a little short.”
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