Kieran Walton Plays Overtime Hero Twice to Give Peterborough Petes 2-1 Series Lead Over North Bay

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Kieran Walton played overtime hero not once but twice, winning Games 2 and 3 for the Peterborough Petes to take a 2-1 series lead over the North Bay Battalion.

The Petes ended the regular season with a 40-24-1-3 record for third place in the East Division. Photo courtesy of Tom Martineau and the North Bay Battalion.

On Friday, the Peterborough Petes hosted Game 2 after being down one game in the best-of-seven series.

Walton scored on the backhand after receiving a centring pass just under 14 minutes into overtime to give Peterborough a 4-3 win and tie the series at 1-1.

Brennan Faulkner, Braydon McCallum and Walton each had a goal and an assist, Adam Levac had two helpers. Francis Parish scored while Calum Hartnell, Aiden Young and Grayden Strohack each tacked on an assist. Easton Rye stopped 40 of 43 shots for his first career playoff win.

The Peterborough Petes travelled to the Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens in North Bay for Game three with the series evened on Sunday afternoon.

Peterborough scored in the first 12 seconds of regulation for an early 1-0 lead thanks to Levac. He shot it from the high slot which was saved but he chopped at his own rebound and found the back of the net for a 1-0 game.

The visitors had a late power play in the second period but a Pete blew a tire which allowed the Battalion to counter on the rush. They had an outnumbered attack despite being a man short and scored to make it 1-1.

In the dying seconds of the third period, Walton had the chance to win it in regulation but was denied. Unable to reach a decision, the game went to overtime.

No one had scored for the first 15:39 of the extra frame but North Bay goaltender Mike McIvor had a costly match penalty for roughing that gave the Petes a five-minute power play.

Walton capitalized on his second chance, scoring uncontested on a one-timer from the faceoff circle and gave the Petes a 2-1 win and 2-1 series lead.

Walton had a two-point afternoon with a goal and an assist, Levac scored and both Garrett Frazer and Adam Novotný got an assist. Rye made a few highlight-reel saves, stopping 47 of 48 shots for his second-career OHL playoff win.

The series continues with game four back at the Boart Longyear Memorial Gardens on Tuesday with puck drop for 7:05 p.m.

@ptbo_canada Kieran Walton played overtime hero not once but twice as he won Games two and three for the @Peterborough Petes to take a 2-1 series lead over the North Bay Battalion. #ptbocanada #journalism #fyp #news #sports ♬ Winning - ROKKA

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