The Penetang Kings stormed out to a 3-0 lead and then hung on for dear life against the never-say-die Orillia Terriers in Game 2 of the teams' Provincial Junior Hockey League first round series.
In the end, the Kings prevailed 7-4, but the score did not reflect the game.
After a scoreless first period, the home side dominated the second period, scoring all three markers in the middle stanza.
However, the visitors would not go quietly into the stormy night.
In a span of just over a minute, Josh Brown, Owen King and Kyle Heitzner scored to stun the hosts and tie the game.
But penalty woes proved fatal for the upstart Terriers. Penetang took advantage of their power play opportunities in the third, netting a pair of man-advantage goals to forge out front 5-3.
Heitzner scored his second of the game - and fourth in two playoff games - to bring his team within one and make things interesting.
However, the Kings scored a pair of empty-net goals to cement the win and tie the best-of-seven series at a game apiece. Orillia won the series opener, 5-4 in overtime.
As the final seconds ticked down in Friday night's fierce battle, tempers boiled over. Orllia's Luke Charlebois and Penetang's Michael Redick each were handed game misconducts for trash talking and inciting.
It sets up what should be a barnburner of a Game 3 tonight at Rotary Place. Game time is 7:30 p.m.
Game 4 will be played Tuesday, also at Rotary Place, at 7:40 p.m.
TERRIER TALES: Orillia out-shot Penetang 37-33 in a game that featured the same two goalies as Game 1: Jason Cumbo for the Terriers and Ruan Bradenhorst for Penetang. Both games in the series have seen a team squander a three-goal lead; in both cases the team who gave up the lead came back to win. Orillia scored one power-play goal on its three opportunities, while the Kings went two-for-four with the man advantage. For the second straight game, Orilla was without its captain, Jake Beard, who is injured.
