River Kings, Eperviers going the distance

CORNWALL – The Eperviers scored two goals 37 seconds apart in the second period en route to a 4-1 victory over the River Kings on Saturday night in front of 1,612 fans at the Civic Complex.

With the victory, Sorel forced Game 7 in the LNAH quarter-final series. The final game will be played Sunday afternoon in Sorel. Puck drop is at 4 p.m.

Pierre-Luc Faubert opened the scoring for the River Kings 6:24 into the second period with a shorthanded goal. Francois Ouimet sprung Faubert loose on a semi-breakaway and the veteran forward blasted a slap shot past Mathieu Dugas, who made his first start of the series for Sorel.

The Eperviers took over in the second period, however.

Sorel levelled the score at 10:55 of the second when Marco Charpentier beat Pete Karvouniaris through the legs. Thirty seven seconds later, Pierrick Martel’s top-corner wrist shot gave the Eperviers the lead.

Former River Kings defenceman Mario Joly scored a powerplay goal with 1:29 left in the second. Joly, parked in front of the net, batted one out of the air and past Karvouniaris.

The Eperviers outshot Cornwall 25-8 in the middle frame.

Adam Bourque added an insurance marker for Sorel 4:09 into the third.

River Kings backup goaltender Julien Giroux replaced Karvouniaris with 8:20 to play in the third.

Sorel sent plenty of traffic to the River Kings net throughout the contest. Brennan Barker dropped the mitts in the second period with crease crasher Etienne Brodeur.

Andre Sandrzyk took a high stick in the face and left the game in the first period. He did not return. Sandrzyk had two goals and four assists in the first five games of the series.

Martel (first), Dugas (second) and Charpentier were the announced stars. Sorel outshot Cornwall 45-28.

GAME 5: Karvouniaris made 45 saves to backstop the River Kings to their third straight playoff win on Friday night in Sorel. The River Kings took a 3-2 series lead over the regular season champion Eperviers. Barker, Ouimet (shorthanded) and Michael Stinziani (empty net) had the River Kings goals. Sandrzyk chipped in a pair of assists.

Series Schedule

Game 1: Sorel 6, Cornwall 3
Game 2: Sorel 5, Cornwall 2
Game 3: Cornwall 6, Sorel 3
Game 4: Cornwall 5, Sorel 1
Game 5: Cornwall 3, Sorel 1
Game 6: Sorel 4, Cornwall 1
Game 7: Sunday at Sorel, 4 p.m.

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