Adam Prudhomme
Editor
A heart-breaking loss combined with a nail-biting win has the Deseronto Bulldogs headed home for a winner-take-all Game 5 in their EOSHL quarter-final series with Smiths Falls.
Puck drop is 8:30 p.m. at the Deseronto Community Rec Centre with the winner advancing to the semifinals to take on Gananoque.
Deseronto survived a slugfest in Smiths Falls on Sunday night, hanging on for a 6-4 win in a must-win Game 4.
Noah Brant had a hat trick for the Bulldogs, who had to rally from deficits of 1-0 and 2-1, before gaining a bit of breathing room after building a 5-2 lead.
The Rideaus didn’t go away easy, chipping away to make it 5-4. Jordan Cannons tacked on a huge empty-net goal to put the ‘Dogs up 6-4 and extend their season.
Joey Mayer also tallied for Deseronto.
Smiths Falls entered Sunday’s match with a chance to clinch the series after taking Game 3 with a thrilling 5-4 overtime win at the Deseronto Community Rec Centre.
Kyle Dowdall scored the game winner for the visitors.
Graham Lamers scored twice while Cannons and Mitch Merry scored for the Bulldogs in the losing effort.