Jets lose Buck but earn 2-0 series lead after weekend home and home sweep

The Strathroy Jets are in control of their Metropolitan South Division semi-final series after taking both games of a home and home this past weekend over the Stratford Irish to lead the series 2-0.

Friday night in front of about 600 fans on Easton Cowan night, the Jets on the strength of 2 power play goals held on for a 4-2 win over the Irish. Rob Schremp had three assists in the contest and Evan Debrouwer stopped 47 of the 50 shots he faced for the win. Strathroy did lose Brandon Buck in the first period with an upper body injury according to Head Coach Jacques Beaulieu in the first intermission "right now he's being evaluated and we'll know more later." 

Turned out he did not return and the Jets were able to step it up for the win in Game 1 of the series.

Saturday night in Stratford, the Irish looked poised to even the series as a more rough and tumbler game played itself out with a combined 48 minutes in penalties, and the Jets without star forward Brandon Buck again. The Irish earned leads of 3-1 and 4-2 only to have Strathroy fight back from both and eventually force overtime where Kole Keating got his 2nd goal of the playoffs, this time the overtime winner to grab Strathroy a 2-0 series lead. 

Other Jets goals came from Brandon Prust, Jamie MacQueen, Justin McIntyre and Mitch Fitzmorris, and another strong performance by Evan Debrouwer earning his 2nd win of the post season.

Brandon Buck is listed as day to day as the series now shifts back to Gemini in Strathroy Saturday for a 5:30pm start time.

In the other South Division semi-final series, Tilbury shocked the first place Killer Bees with a 5-4 overtime win in Alvinston.

(C. Soares)