O’Brien, Growlers one win away from finals

ST. JOHN’S, NFLD – The Newfoundland Growlers are one win away from the 2019 ECHL Kelly Cup Finals after a 6-0 victory over the Florida Everblades in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals Friday night at Mile One Centre.

Newfoundland native Zach O’Brien got the scoring starting for the Growlers with a one-time blast that Everblades goalie Callum Booth could not handle. Five minutes later, Giorgio Estephan launched Josh Kestner through the middle of the ice and Kestner made good on the breakaway chance to give the Growlers a 2-0 lead heading into the second period.

O’Brien continued to score in the second period and the Growlers would just continue the trend as the Everblades carved a rut to the penalty box, as Ben Masella and Patrick McCarron both earned game misconducts.

O’Brien, Brady Ferguson and Giorgio Estephan all earned power play tallies to end the period, with O’Brien earning the hat trick, his second of the playoffs.

Callum Booth was replaced by Jeremy Helvig to start the third period, while Growlers goalie Michael Garteig earned his second shutout of the playoffs with 28 saves. Booth made 20 saves in his forty minutes of work as he suffered his first road loss of the 2019 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

The Everblades became unhinged in the third as they taunted the Growlers, The Everblades finished the game with 79 penalty minutes to just 32 for Newfoundland. The Growlers went 3-for-8 with the man advantage while Florida ended the night 0-for-2 on the power play.

Quick Hits: Zach O’Brien scored his second hat-trick of the postseason… Micheal Garteig earned his second shutout of the postseason… The three stars were 3 – M. Garteig (FL), 2 – B. Ferguson (NFL) and 1 – Z. O’Brien (FL)

What’s Next: The Newfoundland Growlers continue their quest to the Kelly Cup Saturday Night at Mile One Centre in Game 5 of the best-of-seven series against the reigning Eastern Conference Champions, the Florida Everblades. Puck drop is 7 p.m. Newfoundland time (5:30 p.m. Eastern time).

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