It was the wildest ending to a Peterborough Petes game in years.
Chase Lefebvre scored 1:24 into overtime as the Petes swept a home-and-home series with the Brantford Bulldogs before all hell broke loose. Two fights, 38 minutes in penalties and seven game misconducts were assessed all after the game ended with players coming off the benches to participate in a melee sure to lead to suspensions.
Lefebvre missed a shot on a breakaway but Connor Lockhart stole the puck and got it back to Lefebvre who didn’t miss putting it between goalie Matteo Drobac’s legs for the win. Lockhart shoved the puck back into the net for good measure and was slashed by Noah Roberts and when he returned the slash Brantford’s Florian Xhekaj, in his first game back from suspension, came off the bench to shove Lockhart into the net setting things off.
Cole Brown and Lockhart fought and Konnor Smith, who left the Petes bench, squared off with Roberts at centre ice while a bunch of other players pushed and shoved and 2,910 fans at the Memorial Centre stood, many encouraging the mayhem.
When the dust settled, Brantford’s Xhekaj and Lawson Sherk were assessed game misconducts for leaving the bench, Roberts for a second fight and Peterborough native Lucas Moore for being third man in a fight. The Petes’ Smith got two game misconducts for a second fight and leaving the bench and Brayden Velliaris one for leaving the bench.
It came a night after the Petes rode a four-goal first period to a 7-3 win over the Bulldogs in the Petes’ first return to the Brantford Civic Centre since 1984. The Petes, who improved to 4-1-1-0, earned five of six points in three games in three nights including a 3-2 overtime loss at home Thursday to the London Knights.
“We scored and it looked like one of their guys came after us and both teams got involved,” said Petes head coach Rob Wilson. “Emotions were high, divisional game. I think most guys kept their heads pretty good. There wasn’t anything too serious, one scrap. You play a team back-to-back and that’s what usually happens. There’s frustration there. I think the refs handled it pretty well.
“Both teams showed they want to stick together and battle.”
Lefebvre picked up two assists on Friday and set up another Saturday before scoring his first goal of the season on the winner.
“It felt great getting the goal to finish off the weekend and get five out of six points,” Lefebvre said. “We could have got all six but it was nice to close this one out. I got a breakaway and missed it but I had to stick with the play, stop and get right back to the net because I saw Lockhart had it.
“I celebrated and jumped into the boards,” Lefebvre said, “and then I saw Lockhart get jumped. I was trying to hold everyone back and had no idea what was going on. It was just a bunch of fighting. Emotions got high.”
Sam McCue deflected Carson Cameron’s points shot on a power play 14:58 into the game to put the Petes up 1-0. The goal came on a five-minute match penalty to Cedricson Okitundu for cross checking Sam Mayer in the face.
Jorian Donovan did the work to set up the tying goal on a delayed Petes penalty 4:27 into the second period. He held off a defender with one hand while shovelling the puck on net and Braeden O’Keefe found the rebound in a scramble.
Donovan stepped out of the penalty box into a Bulldogs rush and accepted a Noah Van Vliet pass before firing the puck inside the near post for Brantford’s first lead in two nights 3:27 into the third period.
It was short-lived as McCue got the Petes back on even terms 2:49 later. Lefebvre won a puck battle along the boards and centre it to McCue who put it over Drobac’s blocker.
Liam Sztuska stopped 27 shots for his third win in five starts.
The Bulldogs have relocated to Brantford while Hamilton’s FirstOntario Centre undergoes renovations. OHL hockey had not been played in Brantford since the Alexanders moved to Hamilton to become the Steelhawks..
On Friday night, Tommy Purdeller scored twice and added an assist while Cameron scored his first OHL goal and added a helper and Sztuska turned in a strong 35-save effort.
Braydon McCallum, who played his minor hockey for the Brantford 99ers, Owen Beck, Jonathan Melee and Smith also scored in Brantford. Jax Dubois and Lefebvre had two assists and Mayer one.
The Petes chased Drobac after three goals on nine shots while also beating David Egorov four times. Luca Testa, Brown and Van Vliet scored for the Bulldogs.
The Petes will host their first ever School Day Game on Thursday when the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds visit the PMC at 11 a.m. kicking off another stretch of three games in three days.
NOTES:
Cam Gauvreau (Thursday), Connor Lockhart (Friday) and Jax Dubois (Saturday) took turns as the overage scratches on the weekend... Petes alumnus Brennan Othmann scored two goals in his AHL debut with the Hartford Wolf Pack on Friday night... London’s Max McCue received a three game suspension for a match penalty on the Petes Konnor Smith on Thursday night. He is the brother of the Petes Sam McCue.
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