Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Home ice has been kind to both the Deseronto Bulldogs and the Smiths Falls Rideaus, who split the first two games of their Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League quarter-finals.
Deseronto jumped out to the series lead with a 7-4 win in Game 1 Saturday night at the Deseronto Community Rec Centre.
Both sides were raring to go, combing for eight goals in the first period, Deseronto accounting for five of them. The second period was the polar opposite as the defense took over, with neither side generating any offense. The Bulldogs closed out the win with a pair of goals in the third while the Rideaus managed just one.
Taylor Best and Cullen Hinds both scored twice for Deseronto while Greg Arnburg, Jonny Hill and Austin Eastman each had one.
The Rideaus rebounded in Sunday’s Game 2 in Smiths Falls, locking down a 5-3 victory.
The Rideaus once again came out firing, scoring all five of their goals in the opening 20 minutes. Eastman, Graham Lamers and Joey Mayer responded for Deseronto, but it wasn’t enough.
Now tied at 1-1, the best-of-five series returns to Deseronto on Saturday for a 7:30 puck drop. Game 4 shifts back to Smiths Falls on Sunday at 6:30 p.m.