Watch Moncton Wildcats' Will Smith make game-saving play in overtime (VIDEO)

What was there for the Halifax Mooseheads is now gone, thanks to Will Smith's rapid reaction that saved the Moncton Wildcats during the QMJHL playoffs on Wednesday.

Playoff hockey is all about existing on a razor's edge, and seldom is that more evident than it was during the overtime between Game 4 of the Maritimes rivals' series. Before Moncton prevailed on a goal from Taylor Burke 16:20 deep into the sudden-victory session to tie the series 2-2, they got an all-time bailout from their second-year forward. After Danny Moynihan tapped his own rebound behind Wildcats goalie Alex Dubeau, Smith was right on the spot to clear the puck "just before it rolled over the goal line," to quote Metro Halifax hockey writer Kristen Lipscombe.

If not for that, underdog Halifax could be up 3-1 in the best-of-7 series. Instead, it's essentially a best-of-3 with the Wildcats hosting the next game at Fredericton, N.B., on Friday.

Another angle shows the puck was less than a foot away from the goal line.

Smith, of East Longmeadow, Mass., had a fine sophomore season for Moncton with 16 goals and 36 points across 59 games as a two-way forward. The 19-year-old has yet to get a goal through the first nine playoff games, but preventing fellow Massachusettsian Moynihan from scoring might be his team's biggest play of the year.

Burke's winner was a good goal.

All told, 5-of-6 games in the Quebec and Western leagues needed overtime on Wednesday. Oddly enough, the decisive goal scorers in Brandon and Calgary's wins in the WHL, Tanner Kaspick and Jordy Stallard, are both rookies from Brandon, Man.. The Victoria Royals, who beat Kelowna 5-4 to stay alive in their series, don't have a player from that city, their third-period tying goal came from Brandon Magee. You could look it up.

Neate Sager is a writer for Yahoo! Canada Sports. Follow him on Twitter @neatebuzzthenet.