The Essex 73s advance to the Stobbs Division finals with a 7-2 win over the Amherstburg Integrity Admirals Sunday night at the Libro Centre.
Essex sweeps the best-of-seven semifinals series and awaits the winner of the Lakeshore-Blenheim semifinals.
Eric Shaw put the 73s on the board first at 11:23 in the first period, on the power play. The Addys tied it up before the end of the period on a goal from Curtis Prymack, also on the power play. Both teams went one-for-four on the power play chances in the opening frame.
Essex added two goals in the second period. Anthony Cristofaro scored on the power play, and William Stadder scored later in the stanza while short-handed to make the score 3-1 in favour of the 73s.
Jordan Luciw got a goal back for Amherstburg just after the start of the third period. After that, it was all Essex. Michael Vieira put the 73s up 4-2 on a power play goal. This was followed by Cristofaro's second goal of the evening. Michael Ruttinger scored at 13:02 in the third and Stadder picked up his second goal of the game just over a minute after that.
Tyler Ryan stopped 18 shots in goal for the 73s to get the win. Catalin Morin had 21 saves for the Admirals before being pulled for Matt Badour in the late minutes of the third to end Amherstburg's season.
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Nick Tavolieri-Essex scored a goal and an assist as the Lakeshore Canadiens beat the Blenheim Blades 3-1 at Blenheim Memorial Arena.
The Canadiens tie the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.
The only goal in the first period came off the stick of the Blades' Austin Bentley, assisted by Owen Bateman. Blenheim had three men go to the penalty box while the Canadiens had just one penalty in the opening period.
Tavolieri-Essex's goal was the lone goal in the middle period, tying the game at 1-1. The Canadiens proceeded to score two more in the third period, both within the final minute of regulation. Jake Nimmo broke the tie on the power play, with Tavolieri-Essex assisting, and Michael Long provided insurance with an empty-netter.
Mitch Topliffe got the win for Lakeshore in net, stopping all but one of the Blades' 21 shots. Eric Stewardson had 36 saves in the Blades' loss.
Game 5 of the series is Tuesday night at the Atlas Tube Centre.