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Bulls Extend Series with Dramatic 5-4 Overtime Victory over Kitchener
 Matt Beleskey scored the overtime winner and added three assists in the Belleville Bulls 5-4 overtime victory over the Kitchener Rangers Tuesday night at the Yardmen Arena.
The Belleville Bulls forced a game five in their Rogers OHL Championship series after defeating the Kitchener Rangers 5-4 in overtime Tuesday night at the Yardmen Arena. The Bulls twice rallied from three goal deficits before Matt Beleskey scored in overtime to end the game. The Rangers now lead the series 3-1 with game five being played in Kitchener on Thursday night.
It was the Rangers who again got off to a quick start, opening the scoring for the fourth straight game when Matt Halischuk tipped the puck over Bulls goaltender Mike Murphy as he drove to the net. The goal was Kitchener’s second shorthanded marker of the series. The Rangers continued to press during the opening half of the first period, as they looked to extend their lead but Murphy was excellent to keep the score 1-0. Kitchener was able to extend their lead to 2-0 on the power play with seven minutes remaining in the period when Nick Spaling tipped Yannick Weber’s point shot past Murphy. The Rangers then took a 3-0 lead with less than two minutes remaining in the opening frame when Nazem Kadri fired a rebound past Murphy after Weber’s original shot had hit the goalpost. The Bulls were able to pull within two goals with just 17 seconds remaining in the first period while on the power play when P.K. Subban one-timed a bullet point shot past Rangers goaltender Josh Unice. Jan Mursak and Matt Beleskey assisted on Subban’s eighth of the playoffs. The assist extended Beleskey’s point streak to a playoff high 17 games. Shots on goal in the first period were 12-9 Kitchener.
The Rangers extended their lead to 4-1 just over two minutes into the second period when Mike Mascioli fired a loose puck past Murphy from the top of the crease after a goalmouth scramble. Belleville was able to get back to within two goals seven minutes into the middle frame when Keaton Turkiewicz skated out of the corner and lifted a quick shot over the shoulder of Unice. Beleskey and Eric Tangradi assisted on Turkiewicz’s seventh goal of the playoffs. The Bulls pressed during the remainder of the second period but could not beat Unice. Murphy was also excellent in net for Belleville to keep the score 4-2 heading into the third period. Shots on goal in the second period were 9-7 Kitchener.
Belleville came out flying to begin the period and were able to cut the lead to 4-3 just over a minute into the third stanza when Turkiewicz jammed a rebound past Unice after the original shot had hit the goalpost. Beleskey and Nigel Williams earned assists on Turkiewicz’s second goal of the game and sixth of the playoffs. The Bulls continued to press during the third period, forcing Unice to make several great stops to keep his team ahead. Belleville did appear to tie the score with under nine minutes remaining when Tangradi batted a shot past Unice but it was ruled that the puck was hit by a high stick and the goal was disallowed. Tangradi was able to tie the score with just over four minutes remaining in the period when he beat Unice with a quick wraparound. Williams and Shawn Lalonde assisted on Tangradi’s fifth goal of the playoffs. Belleville pressed during the remainder of the third period for the go ahead goal but could not beat Unice, as the game headed to overtime. Shots on goal in the third period were 18-6 in favour of the Bulls.
In overtime, the Bulls relentless pressure resulted in three power play opportunities. Beleskey ended the game on the power play nine minutes into overtime when he snapped a hard shot past Unice from the slot after his original shot had been blocked by a Rangers defender. Tangradi and Subban assisted on Beleskey’s team leading 10th goal of the playoffs. The goal marked the first time in the series that the Bulls had led in a game. Shots on goal in overtime were 9-1 Belleville and overall favoured the Bulls 43-28.
Murphy played a strong game in goal for Belleville in his return from injury, stopping 24 saves in the win. Unice was also very good in net, making 38 saves in a losing effort for Kitchener. The Bulls finished the game two for seven on the power play while the Rangers converted once in five opportunities with the man advantage. Kitchener also added a shorthanded goal. The three stars of the game were Beleskey, Turkiewicz, and Spaling. Game five of the series will now be played Thursday night in Kitchener. If the Bulls are able to win on Thursday, game six will be back in Belleville on Saturday night at the Yardmen Arena.
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