CARDINAL – The South Grenville Rangers faced off against an eager Almonte Inferno team in their first-round playoff opener February 25.

The Inferno were hot off winning their best-of-three game play-in series against the Westport Rideaus.

Almonte kept their momentum going into game one of the series against the Rangers.

Eleven minutes into the first period, the Inferno took a 1-0 lead. A pair of goals later in the period by the Rangers, first from Ethan Wooller, followed by a buzzer-beater from Noah Penney saw South Grenville take a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes.

After a scoreless second period, the Inferno managed to tie the game seven minutes into the third period, sending the game into overtime.

Penney (from Nic McFarlane) scored the OT winner for the Rangers just over a minute into the extra frame to cement a 3-2 win and take game one of the best-out-of-five game series.

Less than 24 hours later, the teams squared off in game two of the series in Almonte.

Three goals scored in the second period by Almonte put the Inferno in charge of the game.

The Rangers trailed the Inferno 3-0 until late in the third period. A pair of goals scored 28 seconds apart, first by Colin Stacey, then by Nate Medaglia, put South Grenville a goal behind with four minutes remaining in the period.

A late penalty put the Rangers on the defensive and they could not tie the game. The Inferno burned the Rangers 3-2 to take game two, tying series at 1-1.

South Grenville will host Almonte for game three of their playoff tilt in Cardinal on March 4. Puck drop is at 7:45 p.m.

Games four and five of the series were not yet scheduled by the league at publication deadline.

Phillip Blancher, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Morrisburg Leader