Thompson, Noseworthy lead Penguins to game 3 victory.

East Hants, NS – The Truro Bearcats travelled down Highway 102 on Friday night for Game 3 of the Northumberland Division Final against the East Hants Penguins, looking to take a 3-0 series lead after 6-1 and 3-0 wins in the opening two games.

This time, however, the Penguins responded in a big way on home ice.

East Hants opened the scoring just over five minutes into the first period after Truro was unable to clear the puck from the defensive zone. Tyler Noseworthy found Will Thompson down low, and Thompson buried the opportunity to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead for their first lead of the series.

The home side struck again less than two minutes later. Will Thompson sent the puck toward the net, where Tyler Noseworthy got a piece of it and tipped it past Matt Welsh to make it 2-0. The quick start gave East Hants an early boost and brought the crowd at the East Hants Sportsplex to life.

The Bearcats answered late in the opening frame when Colin Campbell found Merle Putnam on the far side, and Putnam finished the play to cut the lead to 2-1. It was another timely goal for Putnam, who has continued to be a key offensive contributor throughout the playoffs.

Any momentum Truro gained from that marker was short-lived.

Following a turnover in the neutral zone, the Penguins quickly transitioned back the other way, and Riley Spears beat his defender wide before slipping the puck past Welsh to restore the two-goal lead. East Hants headed into the first intermission with a 3-1 advantage.

The second period followed a similar pattern, with the Penguins continuing to apply pressure and capitalize on mistakes.

Midway through the frame, another turnover led to Jimmy Scullion breaking the other way, and he finished the chance to extend the lead to 4-1. Truro had an opportunity to claw back into the game later in the period with back-to-back power plays, but East Hants came up with one of the game’s biggest moments while shorthanded.

A turnover at the Penguins’ blue line sent Ty Hunter in alone, and he beat Welsh five-hole to make it 5-1. That goal further swung momentum in East Hants’ favour, and the Penguins carried the four-goal lead into the second intermission.

Any hopes of a comeback were dealt another blow early in the third period, when the Penguins added a power-play goal just over two minutes into the frame to make it 6-1.

The Bearcats did get one back late in regulation, as Kelly Bent scored on the power play to make it 6-2.

However, the Penguins had the final answer. Another turnover led to Andrew Shewfelt going the other way, and he converted to restore the five-goal lead and round out the scoring in a 7-2 East Hants victory.

After dropping the first two games of the series, the Penguins delivered their strongest performance of the playoffs and earned an important win to get back within one.

With the Bearcats still leading the series 2-1, the focus now shifts to what will be a pivotal Game 4 on Sunday afternoon in Truro.

Truro will look to regain control of the series on home ice, while East Hants now has a chance to even things up and turn the Northumberland Division Final into a best-of-three.

Final Score: East Hants 7, Truro 2.

Photo Credits : Zac Boone Photography