The two teams entered Sunday's afternoon contest in Owen Sound with Mississauga leading the Ontario Hockey League Final 2-1. Through the first three games the two teams were averaging over 8 goals per game between them. Power plays were producing at near record paces and goaltending was, well average.
Well, you can toss all that out the window as none of the above was relevant in game four, which has probably been the most thrilling of the four games to date.
There was no scoring in the first period which was statistically, as even as it could possibly be without writing a script. Mississauga fired 10 shots at the Attack's Michael Zador while Owen Sound took 9 shots at the Major's JP Anderson. Mississauga was 0/3 on the power play while Owen Sound was 0/2. Neither goalie had many saves of the difficult variety, but were there when they had to be.
The second was much the same way except the power plays. There was once again no scoring and this time the Attack would out shoot the Majors 14-13. Mississauga did not have a power play in the second period. In fact, their only power plays came in the first. Owen Sound was 0/3 on the power play in period two.
The shots were even in the third at 10 apiece, but this time the goalies couldn't stop them all. Justin Shugg would give Mississauga a 1-0 lead at 15:21 of the third with goaltender JP Anderson getting the lone assist. It was Shugg's 8th of the post season.
Just 38 seconds later, Riley Brace would take a tripping penalty and put Owen Sound on the power play. And it took even less time, just 17 seconds, for Robby Mignardi to even it up at 1 with his 14th goal of the playoffs. Joey Hishon and Matt Stanisz would draw the assists.
That's how regulation would end and the teams headed to overtime.
At 6:21 of overtime, Brett Flemming would take a delay of game penalty putting Owen Sound on the power play, their sixth of the game, but they were unable to score. The teams traded chances and the goalies stood tall. With exactly 4 minutes remaining in the first overtime and Mississauga out shooting Owen Sound 9-6, the Attack's Cameron Brace would take one last shot at JP Anderson that beat the Majors goaltender for the victory. It was Brace's second of the playoffs with Hishon drawing the lone assist.
Game 5 is set for Tuesday evening in Mississauga and should prove to be a great contest as Mississauga tries to restore their lead and Owen Sound attempts to take their first lead of the series.
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