Strait Pirates and Sackville Blazers tied at two games apiece

Game five goes tonight in Port Hawkesbury

The Strait Pirates' Avery Warner (#23), with four points (two goals, two assists in two games) and Sackville Blazers goaltender Justin Sumarah, with a 50 save performance in game four, were a couple of stars in the past two Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League games as the final goes into game five, tonight at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre, knotted at two games apiece. Puck-drop is 7:30 p.m. - Richard MacKenzie

LOWER SACKVILLE, N.S. — And we’re tied again.

The Sackville Blazers evened up the Nova Scotia Junior Hockey League (NSJHL) finals at two games apiece with a 2-1 victory over the Strait Pirates, at the Sackville Arena, Monday (April 15) evening.

Sackville goaltender Justin Sumarah made 50 saves in the win; allowing only an Avery Warner marker late in the third period, which brought the Pirates to within one. Olan Spears and captain Matthew Morgan picked up assists on Warner’s goal.

The Blazers scored both of their goals in the second and fired a total of 31 shots at the Pirates’ Cody Smith.

Smith was the story Saturday (April 13) night in Port Hawkesbury as the Pirates grabbed their first series lead with a 4-0 victory.

Smith made 34 saves to record the shutout – his fifth of the post-season – while Warner led the offence with a goal and two assists.

Jacob Keagan and Hunter Woodland both notched a goal and an assist in the win while veteran forward Randon MacKinnon scored the Pirates’ other goal and Devin Sceles, Joshua MacMillan and Liam MacKinnon picked up assists.

The series resumes this evening at the Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre with a 7:30 p.m. puck drop.

Game six will be played Friday (April 19) evening in Sackville (8 p.m. puck-drop) and if a game seven is needed, it will be in Port Hawkesbury Saturday night, again, starting at 7:30 p.m.

The winner advances to the Don Johnson Memorial Cup – emblematic of Atlantic Junior B champions – which is being hosted by the Kensington (P.E.I.) Vipers, April 23 to 28. The NSJHL’s Kameron Jr. Miners, who play out of Membertou, won the Don Johnson Memorial Cup championship last season.