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Mann Cup: Brampton one win away

Excelsiors take 3-1 stranglehold on series with pair of one-goal victories
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Langley Thunder's Ian Poole (white) and Brampton Excelsiors' Tyler Burton battle for control during a face-off in game one of the Mann Cup championship series at the Langley Events Centre. The Thunder won the first game

The Brampton Excelsiors are one win away from hoisting the Mann Cup.

The Ontario champions took a commanding three games to one lead over the host Langley Thunder thanks to a pair of one-goal victories over the weekend at the Langley Events Centre.

The Excelsiors will go for their 11th Mann Cup on Monday (Sept. 12) while the Thunder will look to stave off elimination and force a sixth game on Sept. 14.

If necessary, game 7 would be Sept. 15 and all the contests are at the Langley Events Centre.

Brampton won game three on Saturday 8-7 and game four on Sunday by a 5-4 score.

In both games, Langley led in the third period only to see the Excelsiors rally and eke out the victories.

Game three began with Brampton scoring the first four goals, all of which came in the first 6:21 and chased Thunder goaltender Brodie MacDonald.

The Thunder responded with two goals prior to intermission and then they struck for four more in the first 3:03 of the second period to lead 6-4. But Brampton scored twice on the power play to knot the score heading into the third.

Athan Iannucci, with his second of the game, gave Langley a 7-6 lead before Brampton scored the final two goals for the win.

Dan Dawson led the way for the visitors with three goals and two assists, while Zack Greer had a goal and three assists.

Anthony Cosmo made 30 saves for the win.

The Thunder were led by Iannucci's two goals and two assists. Brett Mydske, Kyle Belton, Patrick Saunders, Matt Leveque and Kerry Susheski had a goal apiece.

Joe Bell stopped 26 of the 30 shots he faced after replacing MacDonald.

In Sunday's game four, the teams were scoreless over the first 31 minutes before Iannucci opened the scoring.

Mike Grimes doubled the lead for the home side before the period closed with another Iannucci goal sandwiched between one from Dawson and Jarrett Davis for Brampton.

The Thunder extended the lead to 4-2 early in the third with a score from Belton, but Brampton was undeterred, controlling the period on the shot clock — 14 to 8 — and scoring the game's final three goals, with Joe Walters, Sandy Chapman and Mike Hominuk tickling the twine.

MacDonald did have a great bounce back game, stopping 34 shots.

Cosmo made 30 saves for Brampton.