Fairview, Meadville to meet for Lakeshore Hockey League title

March 07--Cody Concoby figured the game was headed to overtime. Still, he didn't give up on the play in the final seconds of the first Lakeshore Hockey League semifinal Thursday.

The extra effort paid off, as the senior defenseman scored off a pass from Dan Smith with 21.3 seconds left to seal third-seeded Fairview's 4-3 comeback win over Jamestown at Erie Insurance Arena. The Tigers (4-4-2) face defending champion Meadville, an 8-1 winner over Fort LeBoeuf, in the title game Monday at 8:30 p.m. at JMC Ice Arena.

"We didn't quit," Concoby said. "I thought it was (going to overtime). We got lucky there at the end."

Concoby's goal gave the Tigers their only lead of the game. Second-seeded Jamestown (4-5-1) built leads of 2-0 and 3-2 in the second period on Billy Krywy's two goals and Dylan Bergman's score.

But junior forward John Gorman's rebound in front with 7:39 left in the third period tied the game at 3. Then in the final minute, Smith stole an errant pass inside Jamestown's blue line, slipped around a defender and connected with a wide-open Concoby for the winning goal and Concoby's third point of the game.

"They kept fighting to the end," said Fairview coach Joe McCallion, whose club faces another big test from Meadville in the final. The Tigers haven't beaten the Bulldogs in McCallion's five seasons at Fairview, including a 4-2 loss in the league title game a season ago.

"We have the guys to do it," McCallion said of beating the Bulldogs.

- Meadville 8, Fort LeBoeuf 1: The top-seeded Bulldogs (9-0-1) had goals from eight players on their way to the win. Meadville scored two goals apiece in the first and second periods to open a 4-1 lead before closing out the win with four more in the third. Caleb McLaughlin and Lydia Stroul combined to make 24 saves for the Bison (1-9-0), while Sean Sculley scored their lone goal.

VICTOR FERNANDES can be reached at 870-1716 or by e-mail. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/goeriehockey. Read the Shootout hockey blog at GoErie.com/blogs/shootout and post comments.

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