Rally puts new complexion on series Stevens' goal in OT of Game 3 gives C.B.N the win it desperately needed KENN OLIVER The Telegram

Clarenville Caribous' goaltender Jason Churchill trips-up Conception Bay CeeBee Stars' forward Chris Crosbie as he skates away from the netminder's crease during the second period of Game 3 of the Telegram Herder Memorial Trophy final at Mile One Centre on Thursday night. The CeeBees won 6-5 in overtime, leaving Clarenville with a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven provincial senior hockey final. Game 4 is tonight at Mile One. — Photo by Joe Gibbons/The Telegram

If anyone had suggested to Randy Pearcey that his Clarenville Caribous would sweep the Conception Bay North CeeBee Stars from the Telegram Herder Memorial Championship Series in four straight games, he would have bet them "$10 million against it."

If that bet were made, Randy Pearcey would be a far richer man today.

The defending Herder champs CeeBees are right back in the provincial senior hockey final after a 6-5 overtime win over the Caribous Thursday night at Mile One before a capacity crowd. Game 4 of the series goes tonight and the C.B.N. victory guarantees there will be a fifth game on Saturday. All games in the series are at Mile One, and all have 7:30 p.m. start times.

The Caribous led 5-3 midway through the third period Thursday, but goals by the Delaney brothers - Ryan and Keith - knotted it up for C.B.N., and set the stage for Mike Stevens' goal just over four minutes into the extra period.

Whatever the eventual outcome of the series, Thursday's result puts a fresh new coat of paint on the provincial senior hockey final.

"I told them to play the same way tonight (as Sunday's Game 2, a 6-5 double OT win for Clarenville) and if we get a win, we've got a whole new series," CeeBees' coach Eddie Oates said.

"Some fellas went out there and worked really hard in the last 10 minutes of the game. That's what you need. Everyone's got to chip in."

C.B.N. needed that kind of effort in the late going. Eight minutes into the third, the CeeBees were down 5-3 after a goal by Clarenville's Brad Crann. What's more, after the goal, Keith Delaney said something to ref Ian Hollett, who promptly gave the C.B.N. captain a 10-minute misconduct.

"When you're down and the best player on your team is in the box for 10 minutes, it doesn't help" said Oates, who revealed Delaney wanted to find a "hole to crawl in" after taking the penalty.

The captain's brother helped pick up the slack. Just over two minutes later, Ryan Delaney drew C.B.N. within one on an unassisted effort that popped through the five-hole of Clarenville goalie Jason Churchill. Then, fresh off his time in the sin bin, Keith Delaney scored with 26 seconds left to force OT.

In the extra period, a CeeBees' faceoff win sent the puck to the point and Stevens, who blasted home the biggest goal of his hockey career past a well-screened Churchill.

"As a defenceman, you don't really get many chances to be the OT hero," an elated Stevens said following the game. "But I'm very excited to get that goal. It got us back in the series."

Pearcey obviously wasn't pleased with the Caribous surrendering a two-goal lead with 10 minutes remaining in regulation. The problem for the Caribous, he said, wasn't their giving up multiple power-play goals, but lack of effort in their own zone.

"We can't be running around outside our own blue line waiting for someone with a long pass," he said. "We've got to be back in our own zone working the puck.

Midway through the second period, Pearcey called a timeout and "lost it" on his players.

"You can't just put on your skates and say '(We're) the big bad Clarenville Caribous with a two-game lead and the CeeBees are going to pack their gear up and go home.

"It ain't going to happen that way"

With a win under their belts, Oates says it almost makes the CeeBees following it up with a win in tonight's Game 4 that much more important. That means there's no plan to let the foot off the gas in the C.B.N. dressing room.

"If we turn around tomorrow night and come out with a lackluster effort and go down 3-1, what we did tonight was in vain," Oates conceded.

"We'll be ready to play."

koliver@thetelegram.com