Hounds now a single game away from elimination

The Soo Greyhounds are on the brink of elimination from the Ontario Hockey League playoffs.

You wouldn't know it though, judging by their effort in game three of their first round series with the London Knights. After outplaying the Knights in game two, only to come away with a 6-3 defeat, the Greyhounds put together another solid effort.

This time the result, though the same, was much closer. The Greyhounds dropped a 6-5 decision to the Knights, thanks to an overtime goal by Sergei Kostitsyn of the Knights.

The Knights now lead the best-of-seven western conference quarterfinal series 3-0.

The two teams traded goals to open the game as the Knights took a 1-0 lead on a David Bolland goal at 2:19. Ryan Kitchen got the Greyhounds on the board later in the period before the Knights took a 2-1 advantage when Dylan Hunter potted a shot past Kyle Gajewski at 17:09. Tyler Kennedy made sure the game reached the first intermission tied when he scored his first goal of the playoffs, a power play marker at 19:10.

After Adam Perry put the Knights ahead 3-2 at the 3:12 mark of the second period, the Hounds continued to pressure Knights goaltender Adam Dennis. The pressure paid off as Dustin Jeffrey scored on the power play late in the period to tie the game again.

Third period goals by Trevor Solomon and Dustin Jeffrey gave the Hounds a 5-3 lead just 3:26 into the frame, and chased Dennis from the London goal as rookie Steve Mason entered to see his first playoff action.

Late in the game, thanks to a pair of Greyhounds penalties, the Knights battled back to tie the game. Rob Schremp scored a pair of power play goals just 1:01 apart to force overtime and set up the heroics by Kostitsyn.

"It's a tough loss," said Hounds coach Craig Hartsburg. "That's all it is, is a tough loss. We played a hell of a game and we let it slip away. When there's five or six minutes left in a hockey game you have to do everything right against this team (London). You make one mistake and they make you pay. Every mistake we made seemed to end up in our net.

"We played a great game," Hartsburg added. "We did everything we wanted to do but close it out."

Hartsburg went on to comment on how tough it is playing against a team as offensively gifted as the Knights.

"When you make a mistake, they're going to make you pay big time," Hartsburg said. "Those guys shoot the puck so well."

Both teams now have a day off before game four, which is set for Tuesday night in Sault Ste. Marie. Game time is 7 p.m.

*** AROUND THE OHL:

In other OHL playoff action from Sunday:

AT BRAMPTON: Jeff Leavitt scored at 9:35 of overtime to give the Belleville Bulls a 3-2 victory over the Brampton Battalion. The win ties the series at one. Cory Tanaka had a goal and two assists for the Bulls while Michael Vernace had two assists for the Battalion.

AT BARRIE: The Barrie Colts took a 3-0 series lead over the Toronto St. Michael's Majors with a 7-5 victory on Sunday night. Travis Fuller had two goals and an assist while Jakub Petruzalek had a goal and three assists for the Colts. Hunter Tremblay and Bryan Little added two assists each for the Colts. Justin Donati had two goals and an assist for the Majors.

AT WINDSOR: Ryan McGinnis, Evan Brophey and Andrew Fournier had a goal and an assist each to lead the Plymouth Whalers to a 4-2 victory over the Windsor Spitfires. Whalers goaltender Justin Peters stopped 28 shots. Patrick Davis had a goal and an assist for Windsor.

*** OHL PLAYOFF SCHEDULE:

EASTERN CONFERENCE - QUARTERFINAL SERIES

Series "A" - PETERBOROUGH vs. OTTAWA

(Series tied 1-1)

Thurs., March 23 - Peterborough 3 Ottawa 2 (2OT) Sat., March 25 - Ottawa 8 Peterborough 4 Mon., March 27 at Peterborough 7:00 Wed., March 29 at Ottawa 7:00 Fri., March 31 at Peterborough 7:00 Sun., April 2 at Ottawa 2:00* Tues., April 4 at Peterborough 7:00*

Series "B" - BRAMPTON vs. BELLEVILLE

(Series tied 1-1)

Fri., March 24 - Brampton 3 Belleville 2 (OT) Sun., March 26 - Belleville 3 Brampton 2 (OT) Mon., March 27 at Belleville 7:05 Wed., March 29 at Belleville 7:05 Fri., March 31 at Brampton 7:30 Sat., April 1 at Belleville 7:05* Tues., April 4 at Brampton 7:30*

Series "C" - BARRIE vs. TORONTO

(Barrie leads series 2-0)

Thurs., March 23 - Barrie 4 Toronto 3 (OT) Fri., March 24 - Barrie 6 Toronto 5 Sun., March 26 at Barrie 6:00 Tues., March 28 at Toronto 7:30 Thurs., March 30 at Barrie 7:30* Sun., April 2 at Toronto 2:00* Mon., April 3 at Barrie 7:30*

Series "D" - KINGSTON vs. SUDBURY

(Series tied 1-1)

Fri., March 24 - Kingston 3 Sudbury 2 Sat., March 25 - Sudbury 4 Kingston 1 Tues., March 28 at Sudbury 7:30 Wed., March 29 at Sudbury 7:30 Fri., March 31 at Kingston 7:30 Sun., April 2 at Sudbury 7:00* Tues., April 4 at Kingston 7:00*

WESTERN CONFERENCE - QUARTERFINAL SERIES

Series "A" - LONDON vs. SAULT STE. MARIE

(London leads series 3-0)

Thurs., March 23 - London 6 Soo 1 Fri., March 24 - London 6 Soo 3 Sun., March 26 - London 6 Soo 5 (OT) Tues., March 28 at Sault Ste. Marie 7:00 Thurs., March 30 at London 7:00* Sat., April 1 at Sault Ste. Marie 7:30* Mon., April 3 at London 7:00*

Series "B" - PLYMOUTH vs. WINDSOR

(Plymouth leads series 2-0)

Sat., March 25 - Plymouth 7 Windsor 4 Sun., March 26 - Plymouth 4 Windsor 2 Tues., March 28 at Plymouth 7:30 Thurs., March 30 at Windsor 7:30 Sat., April 1 at Plymouth 7:30* Sun., April 2 at Windsor 7:00* Tues., April 4 at Plymouth 7:30*

Series "C" - KITCHENER vs. OWEN SOUND

(Owen Sound leads series 2-0)

Fri., March 24 - Owen Sound 3 Kitchener 2 Sat., March 25 - Owen Sound 3 Kitchener 2 Mon., March 27 at Kitchener 7:00 Wed., March 29 at Owen Sound 7:00 Fri., March 31 at Kitchener 7:30* Sat., April 1 at Owen Sound 7:30* Mon., April 3 at Kitchener 7:00*

Series "D" - GUELPH vs. SAGINAW

(Guelph leads series 1-0)

Fri., March 24 - Guelph 3 Saginaw 2 Mon., March 27 at Saginaw 7:11 Tues., March 28 at Guelph 7:00 Thurs., March 30 at Saginaw 7:11 Sat., April 1 at Guelph 7:30* Sun., April 2 at Saginaw 7:11* Tues., April 4 at Guelph 7:00*

* Denotes if necessary games.

***