A four-goal first period deficit cost the Elmira Sugar Kings, which could not recover and fell to the Stratford Cullitons, 7-3.

The win by Stratford broke a deadlock and gave the Cullitons a 2-1 advantage in the best of seven series.

Stratford got the win with help from a great game by Tyson Baker, who had one goal and three assists. Baker scored short handed 16:32 into the second period to make the score 5-1 Stratford. The Cullitons played down a man on Zach Van Louwe's high sticking. Brock Heshka picked up the assist.

Referees had their hands full with a major incident at 6:14 into the second period. Four fighting penalties were dished out along with two game misconducts.

Stratford forced Elmira's netminders to work without much rest, firing 39 shots and forcing 32 saves. Jonathan Reinhart made 29 stops and Liam Devine made three.

Stratford additionally got points from Deven Kropf, who also finished with one goal and three assists, Jack Scanlan, who also had one goal and one assist, and Zander Pryor, who also racked up one goal and one assist. Hayden Broomhead also scored for Stratford. In addition, Stratford received assists from Joe Leahy, Rob Grant, and Maverick Petrie, who each chipped in one.

The Sugar Kings were led by Jeff Jordan, who registered one goal and one assist. Jordan scored on the power play 2:53 into the third period to make the score 5-2 Stratford. Elmira had gotten the advantage when the Cullitons' Pryor was sent off for cross checking. Jake Moggy provided the assist. Others who scored for Elmira included Zac Coulter and Ryan Maksymyk, who scored one goal each. Other players who recorded assists for Elmira were Ryley Cribbin, Ethan Skinner, Zac Cameron, and Klayton Hoelscher, who contributed one each.

Stratford's Alexander Brooks-Potts stopped 24 shots out of the 27 that he faced. The Cullitons totaled 15 minutes in penalty time with five minors and one major and went 2-for-5 on the power play. For Stratford, Jared Nash was ejected from the game. The Sugar Kings totaled 27 minutes in penalty time with six minors and one major and went 1-for-4 on the power play. Elmira ran into serious disciplinary problems during the contest, and Beau Goehrum was ejected from the game.