Spencer Lecot’s goal late in the 3-on-3 overtime period lifted the LaSalle Vipers to a 3-2 victory to even the Essex County Super Series with the Leamington Flyers at two points a piece.
Vipers Captain Jack Bowler started the game-winning play by patiently weaving his way around a Flyers defenseman, taking the puck behind the net, and then centering a pass to Lecot who then displayed nice patience of his own to outwait Leamington netminder Ryan Polidori before sliding it past him into the net.
After being shutout in Game 1 on Sunday in Leamington, the Vipers scored their first goal of the series early in the first period on a perfectly executed threeway passing play with Kyle Walker, Wylie Birkett, and then finishing with a shot from Cayden Faust that snuck past Polidori.
The Flyers came back to take the lead on goals by Gabriele Piccolo and Dylan Weston, but Weston’s go-ahead tally was answered quickly by Nic Pavia who brought things back even for LaSalle with his first of the series midway through the second period.
The remainder of the game featured some highly competitive action with both teams trying hard for the third goal. Neither power-play could cash in on a couple of chances for each side in the third, and the Vipers were denied on a couple glorious opportunities in OT until Lecot’s goal which game with just over 1:00 left on the clock. The goal was a timely one as a tie would have resulted in the Flyers taking a 3-1 lead in points in the series, but instead the Vipers win means that each team now has two points.
Kyle Metson went the distance in net, and outside of a couple puck puck-handling misplays behind the net, he played very well to earn the victory.
Game 3 in The Essex County Super Series is tentatively scheduled for Sunday.