GUELPH, Ont. — Nolan Burke scored at 4:05 of overtime in the Sarnia Sting’s 4-3 victory over the Guelph Storm to close out their Ontario Hockey League first-round playoff series on Sunday.
The Sting took the best-of-seven affair in six games to advance to the second round for the first time since 2018.
They await the winner of the series between the Saginaw Spirit and Flint Firebirds, which has gone to a Game 7 on Monday.
Sarnia was the Western Conference’s third seed ahead of No. 6 Guelph.
Burke, a Nashville Predators prospect, also scored the OT winner in Game 2 of the series.
Anaheim Ducks draft pick Sasha Pastujov scored twice and had an assist for the Sting with Ty Voit contributing a goal.
Benjamin Gaudreau stopped 16 of 19 shots in Sarnia’s net.
Charlie Paquette, Matthew Poitras and Max Namestnikov were Guelph’s goal scorers.
Patrick Leaver made 28 saves in the loss.
Elsewhere in the OHL:
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BATTALION 5 STEELHEADS 4
North Bay wins best-of-seven series 4-2
North Bay closed out its playoff series with Mississauga in a 5-4 victory to advance to the second round.
The Battalion, who were the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, won the best-of-seven series four games to two over the No. 7 Steelheads.
North Bay scored four goals in the opening period and added another in the second for a 5-3 lead heading into the third.
Mississauga’s Porter Martone scored his second of the game at 17:13 to pull the hosts within a goal, but the Battalion held on for the victory.
Kyle McDonald’s hat trick paced North Bay, with Kyle Jackson and Dalyn Wakely each contributing a goal.
North Bay starter Dom DeVincentiis made 36 saves in the win.
Captain James Hardie and Kai Schwindt also scored for the Steelheads, with goalie Ryerson Leenders surrendering five goals on 29 shots.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2023.
