Ontario Hockey Association

A fluke goal might have turned the Mooretown Flags-Wallaceburg Lakers Great Lakes Junior C first round playoff series around.

The Flags won Game 4 last night 3-1 to tie the best-of-seven series up at two games apiece.

With just over nine minutes remaining in the game, and the Flags trailing 1-0, Mooretown defenceman Alex Dawson shot the puck down the ice from in front of his own bench as he was coming off from killing a penalty.

The puck skipped down the ice and beat Laker goalie Ryan George.

Just a minute later the Flags found themselves on the power play, and Adam Little scored the game-winner with a howitzer from the blue line.

Mooretown coach Bruce Aberhart, a former goalie with the Petrolia Squires, knows how Laker goalie George felt after letting in the goal from 120 feet out.

“I feel bad for Ryan, it just hit and took a right-hand turn and those things happen and thank goodness it happened for us tonight,” Aberhart said.

Dawson said he was on the bench by the time the puck went in for Mooretown’s first goal.

“I just saw it bounce and I went off and then everyone went nuts,” Dawson said.

“I was just stepping on the bench and I got tackled.”

Chris Lalonde scored Wallaceburg’s only goal. Mooretown’s Mike Burns scored an empty net goal with just under a one second remaining in the game.

Game 5 will be in Mooretown on Saturday night, starting at 7:30 p.m., with Game 6 set for Wallaceburg on Sunday night, beginning at 6:30 p.m.