Gabriel Vilardi scored late in the third overtime period as the Kingston Frontenacs defeated the North Bay Battalion 6-5.
The victory by the Fronts gives them a 4-1 series victory.
The defeat spoiled an incredible night for Christian Propp, who despite allowing six goals, was unbelievable in all three overtime sessions finishing with 71 saves in the loss.
It was the longest game in Battalion playoff history, the most shots ever allowed in a Battalion hockey game and it also spoiled a record for Justin Brazeau whose four playoff goals also set a Battalion franchise playoff record.
In fact, the hockey marathon in Kingston becomes the third longest playoff game in OHL history.
However, early in this contest, most fans would have never guessed this one would go into extra time.
Early into the game, North Bay found themselves killing a penalty. Kingston, who has been deadly with the man advantage in the regular season and playoffs (25.7%) put themselves ahead with Gabe Vilardi scoring his 4th of the series.
Midway through the period, Kingston Captain Tyler Burnie stripped a Battalion player of the puck, rushed down the ice and beat Christian Propp short side to give the Frontenacs a 2-0 lead.
North Bay, responding strongly, saw Rhys Forhan rush Jeremy Helvig and with a highlight reel goal, breathed some life back into the Battalion with a goal. which made it 2-1 Frontenacs.
Seconds later, Justin Brazeau, the regular season points leader for the Battalion, would flutter in a shot on Jeremy Helvig, who had been solid, but the shot would beat him and the score was tied at 2-2.
With two minutes remaining in the first, and with North Bay on the penalty kill for too many men on the ice, Matthew Struthers and Justin Brazeau found themselves on a 2 on 0 shorthanded breakaway, something the opposing team never wants to see, and Brazeau scored his second of the period. 3-2 Battalion takes the lead.
“We have a lot of character in that room and we are up against elimination tonight and I think the boys did a really good job of getting it out of their system and pushing back and Rhys (Forhan) did a great job getting us on the board and we went on from there,” said Brazeau during his first intermission OHL Tonight interview.
“We have faced a lot of stuff this year so I am proud the way we bounced back to get the lead.”
Justin Brazeau continued to be the story as early in the second, a strange bounce made it past Helvig to give Brazeau a playoff hat trick, 4-2 lead.
Midway through the third period a Linus Nyman pass found Sean Day in front of the net and his shot found its way past a diving Riley Bruce and a sprawling Christian Propp. North Bay still held a 4-3 lead.
Shortly after, Matthew Struthers tripped Vilardi and took a penalty, although one could argue that Vilardi fell a little too early. Nine seconds into the ensuing powerplay, Jason Robertson would put the puck past Propp to tie the game up at 4 and send the Frontenacs faithful into a frenzy.
Brazeau, who has the tendency to up his game when he needs to most, found the back of the net for his fourth of the game. After a short review for a potential offside, the goal stood and North Bay retook a one-goal lead, 5-4.
With 19 seconds left on the clock, Sean Day scored his second of the period through traffic and the Fronts net empty as he tied it at 5-5 and for the first time in the series, the game went to overtime.
The first overtime came and went, with Christian Propp facing a total of 20 shots, Jeremy Helvig faced 4. Throughout the 20 minute frame, there were no goals scored and the game still tied at 5 with double overtime imminent.
The double-overtime finished no more ahead than we were at the end of the third period when Kingston tied it at 5.
The end of double OT signaled that the Battalion was in uncharted territory with this game becoming the longest in franchise history.
Six minutes into the third overtime frame, Burnie took a couple of late whacks on Propp to which Daniel Walker didn’t appreciate. Walker and Burnie dropped the gloves, resulting in both wrestling each other to the ice and penalties for both teams and some four on four overtime action.
Later in Triple OT, Gabe Vilardi would end the Battalion season with a shot that beat Propp on a feed started by a nice rush by Ted Nichol.
Kingston wins the game 6-5 and the series 4 games to 1.
