Similar to Game One, Six Nations opened the scoring with two straight goals from former Laker Eli McLaughlin and Randy Staats. Dylan Hutchinson responded for the Lakers to cut the lead in half for a 2-1 game after the first.
Steve Priolo restored Six Nations’s two-goal lead just under four minutes in. Refusing to fall behind, Peterborough had a three-goal run thanks to Taite Cattoni, Owen Hiltz and Turner Evans to get the first lead of the game, 4-3. Dhane Smith evened things up for Six Nations under one minute later and both teams were even after two periods, 4-4.
Halfway through the period, only one goal came from both sides as Rob Hellyer and Justin Martin scored for Peterborough and Six Nations respectively to make it a 5-5 game.
With 3:07 left in the game, Matt Gilray pickpocketed Cody Jamieson at centre floor and passed it to Colton Armstrong for a breakaway. The former Cobourg Kodiak did not disappoint as he beat 2019 President’s Cup MVP Warren Hill up top for the 6-5 lead.
“Matt Gilray made the big strip on Cody Jamieson and I saw a clear path to the net,” explained Armstrong. “He threw the ball up to me and I had some time. Usually I go really fast but I took my time and put the ball in the net. Got some air off the end boards there, I didn’t know when I was going to come down but it was a really cool experience and this arena blew right up. I wanted to give the guys a spark and right there we had a three-goal run. I don’t think these fans sat down for any of those.”
The goal excited the crowd and Armstong was equally as pumped up, dedicating the score to a special someone in his life.
“My wife is having a baby soon so that one was for her,” he said. “I tried to jump into the stands to give her a hug.”