Anthony Cristofaro scored twice as the Essex 73s shut out the Petrolia Flyers 6-0 at home in game 3 of the first round of the Stobbs Division playoffs.
The 73s now hold a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and can go for the sweep Sunday night.
There was no scoring in the first period, but each team had an unsuccessful power-play opportunity.
The 73s broke the scoreless tie in the middle of the second period when Cristofaro scored his first goal, on the power play. The period was also marked by an abundance of penalties and a fight which sent Essex's Evan Prince and Petrolia's Drew Morgan to the showers with game misconducts.
Essex broke it open with five more goals in the third period. Cody Leeming, Quinn Fazekas and Tyler Boughner scored even-strength goals in order for a 4-0 lead. Michael Ruttinger added a goal on the power play before Cristofaro scored his second of the game.
Jax D'Hondt stopped all 18 shots he faced in goal for the 73s. Riley Collins had 32 saves for Petrolia.
Game 4 is Sunday night at the Greenwood Centre in Petrolia.
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The Lakeshore Canadiens needed overtime to beat the Blenheim Blades 3-2 at the Atlas Tube Centre.
The Canadiens now take a commanding 3-0 lead in their first-round junior-C playoff series.
The Blades took the lead late in the first period on a goal by Seth Henderson.
Lakeshore tied the game in the middle frame when Colin Sartor scored late in the period.
The Canadiens took a brief lead about halfway through the third period when Matt Smith scored a power play goal. Blenheim responded shortly after with a Bryce Broad goal.
With the game forced into the extra-period, the final score came from Lakeshore's Mejoe Gasparovic with 33 seconds left.
Erik Morneau took the win for the Canadiens in net, stopping 22 shots out of 24. Eric Stewardson had 43 saves for the Blades.
Blenheim tries to avert a sweep when they host Game 4 Sunday night.
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The Mooretown Flags came back from a three-goal deficit to beat the Integrity Amherstburg Admirals 4-3 at home.
The Flags tie their junior-C playoff series at a win apiece.
The Admirals scored a single goal in the first period, from the stick of Dylan Muzzatti.
Amherstburg scored two more in the middle stanza within 57 seconds of each other. Kyle Meloche doubled the Addys lead at 3:13, then Michael Hatch followed suit to make it 3-0 after two periods.
Mooretown climbed back into the game in the third period with a trio of goals. Nolan Riley got the Flags on the board at 54 seconds in. Joe Ferrara and Ryan Lyle each scored extra-attacker goals late in regulation to put the game into overtime.
Lyle had the winner in the overtime period.
Nolan Hakr took the win with 27 saves for the Flags. Ben Larder had 55 stops in net for Amherstburg,
Game 3 of the best-of-seven series is Sunday night at the Libro Centre.
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The Leamington Flyers kept the GOJHL Western Conference race close with a 7-2 win over the Rockets in Strathroy.
Leamington now has 65 points in the conference, just one behind the leading London Nationals.
There was no scoring in the first period and the Rockets outscored the Flyers 14-8 in the first 20 minutes.
Leamington exploded with five goals in the second. Griffin Robinson, Zach Guilbeault, Maddux Rychel and Jaydon Fetter were among the goal scorers.
T.J. Harris scored two back-to-back goals at the start of the third period to pull within three, but the Flyers got that pair back with goals from Dylan Weston and Josh Pope-Ferguson.
Connor Meyerink had 42 saves in goal for Leamington. Vince Michelizzi started the game for Strathroy but was pulled for Joshua Diamond. Together they had 30 saves out of 37 attempts.
The Flyers next host the LaSalle Vipers Thursday night. The Rockets host London next Saturday.