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Raiders grab 2-0 series lead-- for the second time EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer Heading into their best-of-7 OHA Provincial Jr. A Hockey League quarterfinal series with Burlington, the Georgetown Raiders knew it would be difficult to defeat the Cougars four times, but they didn't realize they'd actually have to post five wins to eliminate them. The fourth-place Raiders, who finished just a point ahead of the Cougars in the final regular season standings, still lead the series 2-0 after a 6-5 home win in game three on Wednesday evening, with Matt Carter notching the clinching score with only four seconds left in the third period. However, the result of game two Monday night in Burlington has yet to be decided, as an incorrect officials' call erased what the Raiders thought was a thrilling last-second 4-3 comeback victory. Burlington's management protested game two's outcome, pointing out correctly that referee Mike Bolibruck should not have allowed a second-period goal scored by Georgetown's George Lovatsis that tied the game at two. Raider defenceman Matt Thomson was judged by the Burlington timekeeper to have left the penalty box prior to the expiration of his two-minute minor for slashing, but Bolibruck couldn't be informed of the second infraction until the next stoppage in play, which was Lovatsis's goal. The league ruled on Wednesday morning, just hours before game three was to be played at Alcott Arena, that Jeremy Whelan's apparent game two winning goal at 19:59 of the third period was wiped out and that the balance of Monday's contest will now be replayed tonight (Friday) at Burlington's Central Arena. The game, which will start at 7:30 p.m., will begin with 7:04 remaining in the second period, that's not hockey, but that's okay, we should be good to go Friday." No doubt more than one Raider nearly choked on his pre-game meal Wednesday afternoon upon hearing the news of Burlington's successful game two protest, so it wasn't much of a surprise that the hosts coughed up two gift goals to the Cougars in the opening 2:49 of game three. Down 3-0 in the first intermission, the Raiders came out a different team in the second with Keaton Hartigan replacing Marc Stuart in goal, overwhelming Cougar netminder Eddie Davey with five goals in 7:49 to grab the lead. Lovatsis (2), Jon Southgate, Whelan and Wade Finegan accounted for the scoring barrage. "Before the game, the guys were really bitter and despondent," added the 19year-old Carter, who has four goals in the series and 27 in the regular season. "We couldn't get anything going in the first period. No bounces, calls weren't going our way. That's when you just have to drive through it and we came back and played our hearts out." But the Cougars, who outshot Georgetown 34-29, including 17-8 in the third period, came back to tie the game early in the final frame with Oliver Wren in goal. The Raiders did generate some excellent scoring chances, although overtime again seemed at hand before another late-period defensive collapse by the Cougars led to Carter's goal. Game six, if necessary, would be played Tuesday in Burlington, and game seven is scheduled for Georgetown at 8 p.m. Wednesday. In the other West Division series, firstplace Brampton leads Milton 2-1, while Oakville and Hamilton are up 3-0 on Mississauga and Streetsville, respectively. (Eamonn Maher can be reached at emaher@independentfreepress.com) If Burlington goalie Eddie Davey did wear leg socks they might have been misplaced by this George Lovatsis (55) deke during a furious Georgetown Raider scoring flurry in the second period of Wednesday night's playoff game at the Alcott Arena. The Raiders trailed 3-0 after the first period before striking for five goals in just under eight minutes in the middle frame, yet they still needed more late-game dramatics to pull off a 6-5 victory. Georgetown leads the best-of-7 series 2-0. Photo by Eamonn Maher the Cougars leading 2-1 and Thomson in the box for a two-minute leaving the penalty bench minor. Then, after a halfhour's rest, the teams will play game four. If a fifth game is required, the Raiders will host it Saturday at Alcott at 7:30 p.m. "I think we'll be fine, especially after a game like (Wednesday's). That just builds character in the room and on the ice," said Carter, left alone beside the net to slide in the winner in another frenzied finish. "We just wanted to come out and tie up loose ends with (the Cougars), after they took away our win with a protest. A protest-- Perfect Rebels to host hometown rival Jags in senior boys' basketball playoff opener Wednesday's snowfall postponed the opening round of playoffs for boys' basketball in the Halton Secondary School Athletic Association and those games have been rescheduled for today (Friday). The Georgetown Rebels finished the senior boys' season with a 10-0 record and are ranked as second seed behind Holy Trinity. The Rebels will host Christ the King's Jaguars Friday at 3:30 p.m. Should Georgetown's seniors win, they'll host a second-round contest Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Christ the King's juniors, tops in the North Division with an 8-0 record, will host their first-ever playoff game today at 3:30 p.m. against Burlington Central. It's also an all-Georgetown showdown in the first round of senior girls' volleyball playoffs as the Rebels host the Jags Monday at GDHS starting at 3:30 p.m. Christ the King's junior girls tuned up for the playoffs with an impressive silver medal performance at the Oakville-Trafalgar tournament last weekend. The junior Jags finished first in pool play in first place and defeated Holy Trinity in the semi-finals to earn a meeting with White Oaks for the championship. The lady Jags were topped in the first set by some hard White Oaks hitting despite solid defensive play from libero Tara Bishop. CtK came out on top in the second set with accurate serving and leadership of middle Nicole Abernethy and big swings from power Ginny Switzer. The game then went into a third and deciding set and CtK were down by a score of 11-6. The Jags' offence was led by the serving of captain Dayna Noltie as they charged to within one point of winning, but White Oaks prevailed 16-14 for the title. CtK's defeated Iroquois Ridge 25-14 and 25-17 in the first round of the playoffs yesterday and will host a playoff game Monday. Hockey A successful debut season for Christ the King's Jaguars came to a close with a first-round 2-1 playoff loss to visiting Iroquois Ridge of Oakville yesterday (Thursday). The 9-3-1 Jags led their opponents 1-0 on a Braden Artem goal heading into the third period but surrendered the winner with just over four minutes to play. Playoffs for the Halton girls' league start next week with CtK's unbeaten girls one of the top seeds.