Late heroics from McGinn, Mantha give Storm, Foreurs 2-1 series edge – Tuesday’s 3 Stars

No. 1 Star - Brock McGinn, Guelph Storm (OHL)

For the third consecutive game in the OHL championship series, the eventual losing team wound up conceding a late tying goal in the third period. For the first time in the championship series, overtime was not required. McGinn's winner with 11 ticks left on the clock effectively served as a game-clincher, even though it saved the ice-resurfacer a trip around North Bay Memorial Gardens. McGinn gave Guelph a 4-3 win in the third game of the series to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven.

Zack Mitchell (1G, 1A, +1) tied the game for Guelph at 6-on-5 with just 30 seconds to go on a deflection, but his heroics were replaced by McGinn's, who found a loose puck with Battalion goaltender Jake Smith looking the other way on the ensuing shift. He was mobbed by his on-ice teammates.

The goal is McGinn's fifth of the playoffs. He'd been stymied on a couple of occasions by Smith earlier in the contest. Another contribution of his didn't show up on the scoresheet—McGinn drew the roughing penalty that led to the Storm's only powerplay goal on the night.

No. 2 Star - Anthony Mantha, Val-d'Or Foreurs (QMJHL)

The Foreurs broke their tie as the series shifted West for Game 3 of the QMJHL series. Despite the 5-2 scoreline, as Val-d'Or take a 2-1 series lead, the game was in doubt through to the third period. Baie-Comeau took a 2-1 lead late in the second period, but Maxime Gravel tied the game just 1:11 later, with Anthony Mantha drawing the assist.As he's done all year, the Detroit prospect Mantha paced the Foreurs offence by scoring twice in the third period (with Anthony Richard scoring the empty net goal to boot). It was a good time for Mantha to record his first goal of the series (he'd been held to just two assists in the first two games) and he now has 20 on the Foreurs playoff run. Val-d'Or are now two games away from returning to their first MasterCard Memorial Cup since 2001.

No. 3 Star - Edgars Kulda, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

Just like in games 1 and 2, Portland got out to an early two-goal lead, but the Oil Kings were able to fight back and earn a win in the third game of the series 3-2, and have brought the Winterhawks back into striking distance as Portland now lead the series 2-1.

Down 2-0 after one, it looked like Edmonton's 8-0 record at Rexall Place during the postseason was in jeopardy, but two goals in the second period brought the score level. Just minutes after Luke Bertolucci scored on a breakaway to even the game, the Latvian Edgars Kulda was robbed by goalkeeper Corbin Boes moments before Henrik Samuelsson appeared to score his second of the game, but the goal was disallowed on an apparent kicking motion.

Late in the third, however, Kulda got back to his spot in front of the net and re-directed a Mitch Moroz shot to finally beat Boes and score his seventh of the postseason. Edmonton managed to hang on, thanks in large part to Tristan Jarry who deserves an honourable mention for his performance. Not only did he stop 35 of 37, but he stood tall on two Grade-A chances for the Winterhawks in the final 15 seconds as Portland threw everything they had at the Edmonton net. Wasn't enough.