The Yarmouth Mariners are back in the Eastlink Division semi-final series with a 4-2 win over Amherst at home on Thursday to cut Amherst's lead in the best-of-seven-game series two games to one.
The Mariners can now even the series with a win in Amherst during Game 4 on Saturday. Game time is 7 p.m.
Morgan Messenger led the Mariners with 1 goal and 1 assist on March 21, while Brandon Bussey added 2 assists.
Brock Morrison opened the scoring at 11:48 to give the Ramblers a 1-0 lead. Maxime Richard (powerplay) scored at 14:55 to extend the lead to 2-0. Ben MacSwain (Bussey) scored on the powerplay at 18:48 to get the Mariners on the scoreboard at 2-1 after the first period.
Braden Mercier (Messenger, Jon Johannesson) scored at 8:06 to tie the game at 2-2 after the second period.
In the third period Matt Wright (Cody Castro, Josh Desmon) scored the game winner at 8:37 to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead. Messenger (Bussey, Jared Hicks) rounded out the scoring at 17:37.
Yarmouth went 1 for 7 on the powerplay while Amherst went 1 for 3.
Chase Gaudet stopped 24 of 26 shots for the win while Richard Tingley stopped 38 of 42 shots in the loss.
All was not good for the Mariners, however, who lost defensemen Derek Larade after an injury he sustained in the first period.
Elsewhere in the MHL on Thursday night the Truro Bearcats doubled the Pictou Crushers 6-3. Pictou leads that series 2-1.
Summerside defeated Miramichi 8-2 to take a commanding 3-0 series lead.
