Ontario downed B.C. 6-4 in a wild Canada Winter Games men's hockey game Tuesday before more than 1,700 fans at CN Centre.
Ontario had a 3-2 lead going into the third period but by 3:17 of the final frame, they were up 5-2. Nick Suzuki scored just 30 seconds into the period and Joseph Geraffa followed up 2:45 later.
James Malm gave B.C. some hope at 6:08 when he directed the puck past goaltender Brendan Bonello following an offensive zone faceoff.
Then, scoring his second goal of the game, Jordan Bellerive buried a cross-crease pass from Cariboo Cougar Justin Almeida for a shorthanded goal at 13:11 to make it 5-4.
But just 15 seconds later, and with the power play still on, Ontario's Greg Meireless responded on a quick rush from the faceoff to put the game away.
Ontario outshot B.C. 40-39 and was 2-for-3 on the power play, while B.C. converted one of its three chances.
Chase Stevenson put B.C. up 1-0 3:34 into the game when he banked the puck off Bonello from behind the net.
B.C. let Ontario back into the game at 11:06 when they allowed a power play goal after Nolan Kneen was sent off for tripping. Isaac Ratcliffe, Ontario's tallest player at six-foot-four, used his reach to guide the puck around goalie Jordan Hollett from close in. Brady Gilmour and Joseph Gareffa assisted.
Ontario took the lead on a even-strength goal at 17:34 when Gabriel Vilardi scored on a backhand deke after taking a centring pass from Ryan McLeod as he raced down the wing.
Down 2-1 early in the second, B.C. applied some sustained pressure. That earned them a two-man power play advantage and, in turn, a tying goal at 5:45. Bellerive buried his third of the tournament when he took a pass from Brett Stapley and slid the puck into a wide open net from the slot. Scott Walford also assisted.
Ontario regained the lead at 10:46 courtesy of Markus Phillips, who wristed a shot inside the post, blocker slide, from the faceoff circle while on the fly. Assists went to Ben Jones and Vilardi.
With the win, 3-0 Ontario clinched first place in pool A while 1-2 B.C. was relegated to third place. B.C.'s next game is a quarterfinal matchup against 2-1 Quebec, second-place finishers in pool B, on Thursday at Kin 2, 7:30 p.m. start.
Attendance was estimated at 1,728 although there appeared to be more. About 1,300 attended Monday's game between B.C. and Manitoba at CN Centre.
