The Listowel Cyclones started things on a positive note, scoring the opening goal of Game 2 of their GOJHL quarter-final against Kitchener.
Blake Nichol tipped a centering pass from Brady Anderson just under four minutes into the game. But a veteran Kitchener team woke up and scored twice in a three minute span late in the first period.
Then things became choppy in the second. Kitchener broke things open with two powerplay goals, a shorthanded goal and one even strength. By the end of the second, Listowel was down 6-2. The shorthanded goal at 7:13 of the second chased Cyclones starting goaltender Ryan Hergott. He made 11 saves on 16 shots. Tyler Fassl stopped 13 of 14.
The second and third periods were littered with penalties. Two Kitchener defencemen, Nic Hague and Kyle Ellis, were ejected for hits from behind. So was Listowel forward Jamie Huber. There were also a couple of calls for head contact and a spearing penalty.
In all Kitchener racked up 34 minutes in 15 penalties, and Listowel 37 minutes in 10.
The loss puts Listowel down 2-0 in the best of seven series with Game 3 in Kitchener on Sunday at 1:00pm. Game 4 will be in Listowel on Tuesday, March 3 at 8:00pm. That game will be on CKNX.