(Photo Courtesy of Dave Fryer Photography)

August 8th, 2015

OAKVILLE, ON - The Oakville Rock picked up a much needed win Saturday night to stay in their first round playoff series with the Peterborough Lakers, who had won the first two games of the Best-of-7 series. Game 3 was at home and the Rock came out on fire. Dan Lomas, Brett Hickey, Brad Gillies and Wes Berg buried 4 straight goals past Peterborough goaltender Matt Vinc, holding a 4-0 lead before Adam Jones finally got the Lakers on the board 12 minutes in. Lomas would add his second at 12:17 and third at 17:25. Steph Leblanc would get his first of the evening with just over a minute to play in the first. The Rock headed to the dressing room with a 7-2 lead.

Lomas would continue the hot hand early in the 2nd, scoring his 4th 40 seconds in. Shawn Evans made it 8-3, but Leblanc would score his second to give the Rock the 9-3 lead before Adam Jones scored back to back goals on the powerplay, cutting the lead to 9-5. Brett Hickey added a powerplay marker for the Rock at 17:07 and the Rock had a 10-5 lead at the end of 2.

Rock goalie Nick Rose was stellar throughout the night, stopping multiple attacks from the potent Peterborough offense. Rose closed the door in the 3rd and the Rock padded their lead on goals from Hickey and Berg. Things got ugly late in the period as Tim O'Brien laid a high hit on Peterborough forward Scott Evans. Matt Crough then whacked O'Brien twice on the legs and a mele insued. Curtis Dickson squared off with Eric Pitre and Evans was trying to get at O'Brien who was wrestling on the ground with Crough.

WATCH VIDEO (Courtesy of Webcast Sports)

After referees Jason Wiswell and Josh Hiltz were able to break everyone up O'Brien, Pitre, Dickson, Crough and Turner Evans were all ejected. Mark White would square off with Eric Shewell on the following faceoff, which would lead to those two players being ejected.

The win marks the first ever playoff victory for the Rock and their first time ever beating the Peterborough Lakers, who now hold a 2-1 series lead. Game 4 is Tuesday night at the Memorial Centre in Peterborough. Game 5 will go Friday in Peterborough and Game 6 is slated for Saturday in Oakville if neccessary.

GAME 1: Sunday August 3rd Oakville 5 @ Peterborough 7
GAME 2: Wenesday August 5th Peterborough 12 @ Oakville 8
GAME 3: Saturday, August 8th Peterborough 5 @ Oakville 12
GAME 4: Tuesday, August 11th Oakville @ Peterborough 8PM at Memorial Centre
GAME 5: Friday, August 14th Oakville @ Peterborough 8PM at Memorial Centre
GAME 6: Saturday, August 15th Peterborough @ Oakville 7:30 PM at Toronto Rock Athletic Centre *If Neccessary
GAME 7: Sunday, August 16th Oakville @ Peterborough 7PM at Memorial Centre *If Neccessary