Elmira’s final game of the regular season, played at the Woolwich Memorial Centre on Sunday, was a 5-3 loss at the hands of Listowel.
With the win, Listowel claimed third place in the eight-team Midwestern Conference to earn a first-round playoff date with Elmira.
The Sugar Kings finished their 51-game schedule with a 20-26-5 record, good enough for sixth place.
The two teams opened their quarter-final series last night (March 2) in Listowel. The best-of-seven series shifts to Elmira tonight (March 3), then continues Friday at Listowel. Game four goes Sunday in Elmira at 7 p.m. If necessary, the remaining games will be played March 9 (Listowel), March 10 (Elmira) and March 12 (Listowel).
Elmira held the edge in the season series with Listowel, winning four of seven games. The Sugar Kings, though, lost the last two games they played against the Cyclones during a stretch in which they’ve managed one win in eight games to finish the season. The Kings enter the playoffs having lost five straight.
SEASON FINALE
Listowel won Sunday’s contest on the strength of three power-play goals, including one with 46 seconds left in the second period that gave the Cyclones a 4-2 lead.Elmira’s Tyson LeBlanc, who scored his team-leading 22nd goal of the season, closed the gap to 4-3 just 25 seconds into the third period, but Listowel held off the homeside’s comeback.
Josh Woolley and Jon Jutzi, rounded out the scoring for the Sugar Kings. Riley Sonnenburg, who claimed the Kings’ scoring title with a team-high 46 points, added an assist. Jarred Parent, Michael Therrien and Shane Smith also had helpers.
Scoring for Listowel was Bobby Cook (2), Ken Rolph, Ryan Horvat and Chris Holmes.
The Cyclones outshot the Kings 33-26.
