The Brantford Bulldogs fell 3-2 to the Oshawa Generals in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference semi-final series on Saturday night, giving the visitors a 3-2 series lead heading into Game 6.
Returning to home ice at the Civic Centre, the Bulldogs got an early boost with goaltender Ryerson Leenders back between the pipes.
He stopped all 10 shots in the first period, and Jake O’Brien opened the scoring late in the frame, giving Brantford a 1-0 lead.
But the Generals responded with two second-period power-play goals from Beckett Sennecke, who netted his seventh and eighth goals of the playoffs.
Cole Brown tied the game for the Bulldogs midway through the second, converting on a power-play chance assisted by Marek Vanacker and Tomas Hamara.
Despite several close chances in the third, Brantford couldn’t solve Oshawa netminder Jacob Oster, who made 32 saves.
Andrew Gibson’s tip-in at 4:08 of the final period proved to be the game-winner.
The Bulldogs now face elimination as the series shifts back to Oshawa for Game 6 on Sunday, April 20, with puck drop at 6:05 p.m.
