The Eckville Atom A Eagles have forced Game 3 in the Central Alberta Hockey League playoffs.
The Eagles are facing the Airdrie Lightning in the best-of-three series.
Game 1 was held at the Eckville Arena, Saturday afternoon, where the Lightning struck down the Eagles with a close 6-5 victory.
Hudson Hoeksema, assisted by Braxten Richardson, sent the puck to the back of the net and put the Eagles on the scoreboard early in the first period.
The Eagles started from behind and stayed behind in Game 1.
In the final period Eckville was the only team to score. Ethan Butchta and Denim Eliuk both score in the final 20 minutes of the game, but it was not enough to edge out the Lightning.
The Eagles fell in Game one with a score of 6-5, but rebounded the next day in Airdrie.
On March 8 the Eagles flew down to Airdrie for Game 2 of the series. In another close game, the Eagles managed the win in overtime and forced the series to go to Game 3.
The first period of Game 2 flowed the same as Game one, with Airdrie scoring twice, and the Eagles once - a goal provided by Denim Eliuk on the power play, and assisted by Jaxon Kaniusis.
In the first 10 minutes of the middle frame Hudson Hoeksema scored twice The Eagles went into the final period with the score ties at three-all, after Airdrie scored with six minutes left on the clock.
Seven minutes into the third period, Slade Winchester hurtled the puck between the pipes, and picked up the lead.
Before the game could end, the Lightning rebounded and put one away, to tie the game and take Game 2 into overtime.
It took nearly the entire extra period for a winner to be determined. With only seconds left on the clock, an unassisted Jaxon Kaniusis flew down the ice and sent the puck sailing home to the back of the net.
With Kaniusis’s last second goal, the Eagles took Game 2 with a score of 5-4.
The Atom A Eagles will return to the Eckville Arena for Game 3, March 13 with the puck dropping at 6 p.m.
