ESTEVAN - The Summerside Western Capitals have moved on to the playoff round at the Centennial Cup, presented by Tim Hortons.
Summerside, representing the Maritime Hockey League, edged the Central Canada Hockey League's Ottawa Junior A Senators 4-3 in overtime Wednesday afternoon at Affinity Place. The Capitals and the Senators were battling for the third and final playoff spot in Group B.
Ottawa needed to win in regulation to advance. Any other result, and Summerside would move on to the playoff round.
The Senators had the lead in the final minute, but Brendan McCarthy scored with 21.2 seconds to play in the third period for Summerside to extend the Capitals' season.
Summerside's Aaron Brown opened the scoring 12:59 into the first period. but Ottawa stormed back 68 seconds later to tie the game on a tally by Thomas Freel.
Ottawa's Braxton Ross had the lone goal of the second period to put the Senators in the lead.
William Irvine's goal 10:52 into the third tied the game again, only for Massimo Gentile to put the Senators back in front just over four minutes later.
Colby MacArthur had the winning goal 1:47 into overtime.
The game had the wild momentum swings associated with an elimination contest. Ottawa controlled most of the first two periods. Summerside came on strong in the third, but after Irvine's goal tied the game at 2-2, Ottawa dominated again. The Senators continued their strong play after Gentile's goal, but Summerside ultimately notched the season-saving tally.
Felix-Anthony Ethier had 33 saves for Summerside, while William Desmarais had 29 saves for Ottawa.
The Capitals have eight points in Group B, and will do no worse than second, thanks to two regulation wins and the overtime win in four contests. Ottawa finished with four points, with a regulation win and an overtime loss accounting for their points.
Meanwhile, the Manitoba Junior Hockey League's Dauphin Kings wrapped up first place in Group B with a 6-1 triumph over the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League's Soo Thunderbirds. Dauphin scored twice in the first and added three in the second and one in the third.
The Thunderbirds, based out of Saut Ste. Marie, Ont., picked up their lone goal early in the third period.
Brayden Dube scored twice in the opening 10 minutes for the Kings and finished with a hat trick. Nick Braun, Kim Georgiev and Colby Jacquet also scored.
Kelsey Ouellet scored the Soo's lone goal.
Carson Cherepak stopped 17 of 18 shots he faced for Dauphin, while Noah Zeppa made 20 saves for the Thunderbirds.
Dauphin finished with three regulations wins and a shootout loss in the round robin. They receive a bye to the semifinal round by topping their group.
The Thunderbirds lost all four games they played.
The Flin Flon Bombers finished third in pool B and will advance to the quarter-finals Friday.
The round robin wraps up Wednesday night at 7:30 p.m. when the host Estevan Bruins, who also won the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League championship, face the Alberta Junior Hockey League champions, the Brooks Bandits.
SASKTODAY.ca will have updates throughout the Estevan-Brooks game.
