ST. JOHN’S, NFLD – The Newfoundland Growlers are Eastern Conference Champions after defeating the Flordia Everblades 3-0 at Mile One Centre on Saturday night.
The Growlers opened the scoring late in the second period as Scott Pooley backhanded in the rebound of a shot from the slot by Zach O’Brien past Everblades goalie Callum Booth. Prior to that, Booth and Growlers netminder Michael Garteig had been locked in a terrific battle of the goalies as the pair matched save for save for 38 minutes.
In a series where penalties and physical play were common place, game five was tame. The teams combined for only two minutes of penalties, as Everblades Joe Cox was nabbed for interference in the first period.
Both teams kept the pressure on into the third period but the Growlers pulled away, Hudson Elynuik made the Everblades pay after a neutral zone turnover by snapping the puck between the legs of Booth to give the Growlers the 2-0 lead. Giorgio Estephan landed the insurance goal at 12:25 of the third period with a shot from a sharp angle. Growlers goaltender Garteig did the rest, posting his second straight shutout and finished with 36 saves. In all, Garteig turned away 150 of 156 shots in the series and blanked Florida three times.
Florida’s Booth, playing in his 12th straight post-season contest, made 20 saves on 23 shots faced.
The Kelly Cup Finals will start on home ice at Mile One Centre. Games one and two are slated for Saturday, May 25th and Sunday May 26th, Both games will start at 7 p.m. Newfoundland time.
Quick Hits: The Newfoundland Growlers will play with either Tulsa or Toledo in the Kelly Cup Finals… Micheal Gartieg earned his second straight shutout, his third of the playoffs… The three stars were 3 – H. Elynuik (NFL), 2 – G. Estephan (NFL) and 1 – M. Garteig (NFL)
What’s Next: The Newfoundland Growlers continue their quest to the Kelly Cup Saturday Night at Mile One Centre against either the Tulsa Oilers or the Toledo Walleye. Puck drop is 7:00 p.m. Newfoundland time (5:30 p.m. Eastern time).
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