Norwich takes early series lead.

Norwich has accomplished yet another playoff feat in these 2009 playoffs, they won the first game of the Niagara Final in Grimsby last night 3-2. Norwich now leads the Niagara Final 1 game to none and play game 2 in Norwich Sunday afternoon at 2.

The first period started out slowly while Norwich found their skating legs as the first period rolled along the better Norwich played, The first perod would end up scoreless. Grimsby held a 9-4 shot advantage.

Norwich came out in the second with a lot more jump and would score the opening goal of the night at 3:21 on the powerplay when Tom Brady deflected a Bryan Phillips pointshot past Grimsby goalie Mike Tardif. Less than 3 minutes later Chad Barclay would grab a loose puck in the nuetral zone and with a head of steam roof one over Tardif's glove hand grabbing a 2-0 lead.
Grimsby would break Cody Vinnai's shutout streak at 11:48 when Josh Rogal would score on a wrist shot up high making it 2-1. Norwich would restore thier 2 goal lead when Kris Krouluski would score on the powerplay at 18:58. Norwich would outshoot Grimsby 14-12 in the second period.

The third period was a more defensive period as Norwich played dump and chase and most of Grimsby's shots were from long range as Norwich played tight defence in front of Cody Vinnai.
Grimsby would add a powerplay goal with 48 seconds left as he beat Cody Vinnai with a wrist shot. Norwich held Grimsby at bay after that not letting them get a shot away. Grimsby out shot Norwich in the third 9-5 and outshot them for the game 30-23.

Other Playoffs series: The Niagara League Final also doubles as the Schmaltz Cup quarterfinals, The Schmaltz Cup goes to the Ontario C Champion, in the three other quarterfinal Essex leads Dresden 2-0, that series is also the Great Lakes league final. Alliston who won the Georgian Bay league plays Walkerton who won the Western League that series starts tonight in Walkerton, and the last quarterfinal has Uxbridge who won the Central League playing Amherstview who won the Empire League that series opens up tonight in Amherstview.