Lincolns force Game 7 in thrilling West Final against Stratford
- 24 hours ago
- 6 min read
By Spencer Seymour
The most highly anticipated playoff series in the Greater Ontario Hockey League (GOHL) since the realignment in 2024 lived up to the hype, with the Lincolns fighting back from 2-0 and 3-2 series deficits to force a seventh and deciding game.
Game 7 took place April 21 after the Independent’s press time.
After going down 2-0 in the series, the Lincolns got into the win column in Game 3, beating the Stratford Warriors 6-1 April 14. The Lincolns went a perfect three-for-three on both the powerplay and penalty kill, while Colby Booth-Housego made 35 saves, and six different goal scorers found the back of the net.
Head coach Jeff Bradley told the Independent there was plenty about their Game 3 effort to be happy with.
“I think that game was what we needed,” said Bradley. “We had good special teams, good goaltending and some consistency throughout the lineup, so we were pretty happy with that. We continued to progress in the second and third periods and get better in terms of our puck management, puck support, F3 backchecking responsibilities, winning battles and our faceoffs.”
According to Bradley, the stronger play they began in Game 3 continued into Game 4, when the Lincolns defeated Stratford 3-2 in overtime.
“I liked how we kept getting better,” Bradley said of the seven periods in games three and four. “All of those elements were something we addressed pre-game and did some video, and I thought it paid dividends in Game 3, and then I thought we progressed in Game 4 as well. We were close to pucks. That allowed us to get out of our zone and negate their forecheck a little bit. I thought that helped for sure.
“Winning battles (is the key to breaking through Stratford). We’ve got to win battles. It’s us and them, year after year, who give up the least amount of goals, and when they play tight to you, you’ve got to win those one-on-one battles, and I thought we did a good job of that in games three and four.”
Booth-Housego was excellent once again, making 48 saves, while Owen Kalp scored the overtime winner.
The Lincolns did a better job defending the Warriors in games three and four, only allowing three goals in the back-to-back games, which Bradley noted simply came down to better execution of their gameplan.
“I don’t think it’s difficult to defend (the Warriors), and we play a similar style, but when they execute a little bit better than we do, then we’re going to have trouble with that,” Bradley said. “They are right on you at all times. I think they generated a lot of momentum off getting that first goal, so we needed to turn that around, and I thought we did and got rewarded for it.”
The team was spearheaded by strong play by two lines in particular, including the line of Ryan Hodkinson, Blake Elzinga and Lincoln Moore, who have been the Lincolns’ best line in the Western Conference Final through all six games, as well as the trio of Owen Voortman, Jack Clarke and Devun Colebrook, who have been tasked with starting each period they’ve been together for.
“They win their battles and make good decisions with the puck,” Bradley said of Elzinga, Hodkinson and Moore. “They’re good defensively and they’re always focused and trying to out-compete the opponent. That’s why they have success. I think (the Voortman, Clarke and Colebrook line) is a good mix of offence, defence, physicality and intelligence. I think the way they compete is great, and that makes them good at starting periods for us. Those six have really led the charge (in games three, four and five).”
Hodkinson, Elzinga and Moore have combined for 12 goals and 27 points in the first six games of the series. Going into Game 7, Hodkinson had points in 11 straight games and in 14 of his last 15, while Moore had scored at least once in his previous four games and had points in eight of his last nine.
And while that line continued their strong play in Game 5, the rest of the lineup didn’t deliver the performance they needed, leading the Warriors to a 4-3 overtime victory that put Stratford ahead 3-2 in the series, with Bradley stating they can’t only have one line going if they’re going to have success.
“We gave up three leads,” Bradley said. “We didn’t have enough guys pulling in the same direction. We typically aren’t a one-line team, and when we’re forced to do that, we’re not going to be successful. We lost an overtime game. It was a tight game, so it’s not terrible, but we need to bounce back.”
And bounce back is exactly what the Lincolns did in Game 6.
Though tightly contested, a much stronger, teamwide effort lifted the Lincolns to a 6-3 victory, with two of their goals coming as empty netters late in the game.
“It just came down to being willing to compete every chance we got,” Bradley said. “It felt like everybody who was dressed competed (in Game 6), so I’m really happy with the effort top to bottom. We had a much better effort one through 20. We’ve never been a one-line team, and we can’t be a one-line team. Everybody did what they needed to do.”
According to the head coach, the desperation to live to fight another day was visible amongst the players.
“We played as desperate as you can. You see it in their faces before they go on the ice when you talk to them for the last time, and they were ready to compete. They knew that was their last chance, and they treated it like that. It’s the same thing in Game 7. You’re facing the end of your career, and the end of your season, and you’ve got to see how much these kids want to continue to play hockey.”
Certainly not a one-line game this time around, the Lincolns got significant contributions from everyone, with Bradley noting two lines in particular stepped up in big ways at both ends of the ice.
“The (Callum) McAuley, (Chase) MacQueen-Spence and (Declan) Ready line really contributed. Those three together, I think they did a really good job together. You’ve got a bit of grit in Declan, who really does the right thing pretty much all the time. Chase is a super veteran, and he’s really changed his game from purely offensive to just being a great 200-foot player for us, and then McCauley is very fast and very skilled, and you saw on the (Jacob) Montesi goal, that combination of those three guys sets up some really good plays.
“I also thought the (Oliver) Lacko, (Chase) McDougall and (Ethan) Weir line contributing on the scoresheet was really important for them and very helpful for us,” Bradley added. “They were really responsible, and it was a case where good defence led to good offence. That line stepped up, and we got some really good minutes out of them.”
Once again, the Lincolns got great goaltending from Booth-Housego, who Bradley said has been vital in the team fighting back from trailing in the series multiple times.
“It’s good for him, and we’re obviously happy for him. He came back to avenge last season. I know that’s been on his mind, and he gets an opportunity to do so. We’re not here without Colby (Booth-Housego), and I’m happy he gets another chance at this with us.”
Supporting Booth-Housego was much stronger defensive play by St. Marys, as well as increased physical presence in Game 6 from Game 5.
“I thought our gaps were really good,” said Bradley. “I thought, for the most part, we shut plays down pretty quick and then we did a really good job in those little battles along the boards. Our physicality was great. That’s a part of our identity, and we need that to put teams on their heels a little bit, and we did a really good job of that, especially early.”
Goals by James MacGregor and Jacob Montesi gave the Lincolns a 2-1 lead at the end of one period. After a scoreless second, the two teams traded goals, with Hodkinson firing home his 11th of the playoffs before Oliver Lacko deflected home his first goal of the post-season. Moore and Voortman each added empty net tallies to seal the 6-3 win.
After both the disappointing loss in Game 5 and the stronger showing in Game 6, Bradley emphasized compete level and winning battles as being key to deciding the winner of the Joe Thornton Trophy.
“Stratford doesn’t give us much time with the puck, and there’s not much space out there, so we’ve got to compete,” Bradley said. “They’re really good in transition, so we’ve got to make sure, on any change of possession, that we’re turning over the other way, whatever way the puck is going to go. We’ve just got to be on our toes, and every shift is going to count in Game 7.”
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