It wasn’t that many days ago that the Newfoundland Growlers were close to becoming the first team to move on to the second round of the ECHL’s Kelly Cup playoffs.
Now, there’s a chance they could be the last team from the league’s Eastern Conference to advance, and they still have to come up with the win that will make that happen.
The Growlers will be looking for the propelling victory tonight (7 p.m.) at Mile One Centre against the Brampton Beast, and if they get it, you can bet they won’t be worrying about being tardy in the task.
Newfoundland had jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, but a couple of Beast wins Thursday and Saturday in Brampton. Ont., has moved the series back to St. John’s, where the Growlers will look to make the most of a third straight opportunity to advance past a stubborn opponent.
If they don’t and a Game 7 is necessary, it will be played Wednesday night at Mile One, where Newfoundland posted a pair of 2-1 wins, the second one coming in overtime, to start the series.
Whichever team emerges from the Growlers-Beast all-Canadian matchup will face the Manchester Monarchs in the ECHL North Division final.
The Orlando Solar Bears have joined the Monarchs as an Eastern Conference first-round winner. The Solar Bears will play another Florida opponent in the next round, either the Jacksonville Icemen or Florida Everblades.
The Everblades took a 3-2 series lead into a game against the visiting Icemen Monday night in Estero, Fla.
