Three unanswered goals in the middle frame spelled major trouble for the Attack.

Owen Sound dropped Game 1 of the Ontario Hockey League's Championship Series last night by a 5-2 score, and must win at home tomorrow (Thursday) night to even this series with the Mississauga St. Michael's Majors.

Devante Smith-Pelly and Owen Sound's Robby Mignardi traded power play goals in the first period, and the Majors took control in the second. Smith-Pelly's second early in the frame made it 2-1, and goals from Casey Cizikas and Chris DeSousa 43 seconds apart made it 4-1 late. Scott Stajcer stopped a penalty shot to give Owen Sound hope, and Mignardi did his best to use it.

The overager scored his second of the game, and league best 11th of the postseason, one minute into the third. But 4-2 was as close as it got. Despite outshooting the Majors, Owen Sound couldn't generate many quality scoring chances, and Jordan Mayer sealed the game with an empty net goal with 13 seconds left. JP Anderson picked up his 13th playoff win in goal for the Majors, while Stajcer lost just his second start in 10 games.

Mississauga, the Eastern Conference champs, hasn’t lost at home since Feb. 21, while the Attack has a perfect home record dating back to Feb. 20. Since Mississauga has home ice in this series - and the Memorial Cup - Owen Sound must steal a game to have any chance of winning a title.

There were plenty of available seats last night at the Hershey Centre, but that won't be the case Thursday night in the Sound. This series sold out in a hurry, and another packed, rowdy crowd is expected at the Harry Lumley Bayshore for a 7 p.m. start.

Game 3 is Friday night in Mississauga, with Game 4 in Owen Sound Sunday afternoon at 4:30 p.m. A full series schedule is posted elsewhere on this site. The Independent will be on the scene tomorrow night and will have the full story on this site Friday morning. We'll be tweeting updates during the action on twitter@kincintheslot, and Fred Wallace will be calling the action as always on CFOS AM650. Tomorrow night's game, it was just announced, will also be broadcast nationally by Sportsnet.

SUTHERLAND CUP

The Elmira SugarKings scored once in each period to squeak out a 3-1 win in Game 3 of the Sutherland Cup. Elmira now leads the Provincial Junior B Championship 2-1 over the Niagara Falls Canucks.

Last night in the 'Falls, a power play goal in the second period by Colton Wolfe-Sabo stood up as the game winner. Brady Campbell scored into an empty net with 28 seconds remaining to give the SugarKings some breathing room. Brad Kraus scored in the first period, less than a minute after Niagara Falls took a 1-0 lead on a Dustin Scott goal.

Former Mount Forest Patriot Nick Horrigan made 26 saves in the Elmira net for the win, while Tiverton native Tim Steen was one of the linesmen in this contest.

Game 4 of this series is in Woolwich tomorrow (Thursday) night at 7:30 p.m., with Game 5 is Friday night in Niagara Falls.

RBC CUP

Yesterday in Camrose, Alberta at the RBC Cup, the host Camrose Kodiaks improved to 2-1 with a 4-2 win over the Portage Terriers (1-2).

Today, it's the winless Wellington Dukes of the OPJHL against the defending champions from Vernon, BC. That game will be followed by the hosts taking on the 2-1 Pembroke LumberKings.

-Josh Howald