The series has not been kind to the home team. Coming into Game 5 of the PJHL Pollock Division Final, the visiting team had won every game.
And after a close contest in Game 4 in Wingham on Wednesday night, in which Mount Forest won 4-2, it was another tight affair.
And both teams were able to avoid the penalty box for the most part, with just three minor penalties called in Game 5 which stretched into overtime and a 5-4 win for Mount Forest.
Corey Restoule opened opened the scoring for Wingham midway through the first period after coming back from serving a suspension in Game 4. Mount Forest would respond as Brody Leblanc answered about six minutes later. Leblanc, an AP, from the Grey-Bruce Highlanders has seen steady ice time in the series and it's paid dividends with goals in his last two games.
The pattern of exchanging goals continued in the second period. Logan Tolton gave Wingham the lead at 14:29 then Klayton Hoelscher just over a minute later to tie it.
The teams doubled down in the third. The Ironmen's Carter Collinson scored at 3:32 of the period and Brady Becker tied it up two minutes later. Collinson scored his second of the game at 6:49 and then it took Mount Forest awhile to find the equalizer. But they did when Thomas Haffner cut into the offensive zone and scored with just over four minutes left in the period.
Both teams had big chances in the overtime period but it was Brady Becker that ended it. The Mount Forest Patriots' forward found a lose puck in behind the Wingham net and wrapped it around for the game winner. His second of the game and of the playoffs.
Both goaltenders made ten bell saves through the game.
Aidan Quish stopped 43 shots for the win. Devin Carson made 39 saves in the Wingham net.
Game 6 is in Wingham Saturday night at 7 p.m. and can be heard on Cherrey Buslines OHA Hockey on CKNX.
