Zach Guilbeault needed two goals in the third period to complete a hat trick as the Leamington Flyers beat the Legionnaires in Sarnia 4-0.
The Flyers' victory closed out their best-of-seven GOJHL Western Conference quarterfinals series in six games. Leamington will now take on the top-seeded LaSalle Vipers in the conference semifinals series.
Connor Meyerink got the shutout in goal for Leamington, stopping all 34 Sarnia shots. Jorgen Johnson had 22 saves for the Legionnaires.
It was a physical contest, with a total of 14 power plays in the game. Guilbeault's first goal was a short-handed one, the only goal in the first period. Josh Pope-Ferguson was serving two minutes on a holding call when the goal went in.
Dallas Maurovic doubled the Leamington lead with the only goal in the second period, unassisted with less than four minutes to go in the frame. Guilbeault's second goal of the game was late in the third period, the only power play goal of the game for either side. He completed the hat trick with 31 seconds left in the game on an empty-netter.
The Legionnaires became frustrated as the final period wore on, with Josh Barraclough taking a kneeing penalty over 15 minutes in, followed by a tripping call on Joey Zappa. Jarret Marks was then sent off on an abuse-of-official call. Barraclough and the Flyers' Nick Gauvin both got early showers after roughing penalties and an inciting misconduct each.
Leamington now awaits the start of their semifinal series with the Vipers, with the game schedule not yet released. In the other semifinal, the second-seeded Chatham Maroons will play the third-seeded London Nationals.