The Newfoundland Growlers took a 3 games to 1 lead in the 2019 Kelly Cup Finals presented by SmileDirectClub on Friday with a 4-2 win over the Toledo Walleye in Game 4 in front of 8,504 fans at Huntington Center.
For the third time in the series, the Growlers scored the game's first goal. With the puck sitting free at the top of the crease, Brady Ferguson gathered it in and beat Pat Nagle with a quick shot from the left-wing circle for his sixth goal of the playoffs 8:51 into the first period.
Toledo pulled even at 13:56 of the opening period with a 5-on-3 power-play goal. Matt Register set up Greg Wolfe, whose shot from the left-wing circle eluded the grasp of goaltender Michael Garteig for his team-leading 10th goal of the postseason.
Ferguson put the Growlers back on top with a power-play goal of his own 9:40 into the second period as he tapped in a pass from Giorgio Estephan at the top of the crease.
Bryan Moore tied the score for Toledo in the closing minute of the second period when he put the rebound of a Register shot past Garteig for his eighth postseason goal at 19:35.
Kristians Rubins gave the Growlers the lead back at 11:14 of the third period when he gathered in a cross-crease pass from Estephan and beat Nagle from the right-wing circle.
Matt Bradley extended the lead to two goals with his third goal of the playoffs at 14:26.
Garteig made 37 saves in recording his 15th win of the 2019 Kelly Cup Playoffs.
Game 5 of the series is set for Huntington Center on Saturday at 7:35 p.m. ET. Catch all of the action LIVE on ECHL.TV.
2019 Kelly Cup FinalsGame 1 – Toledo 3 at NEWFOUNDLAND 4 (OT)Game 2 – Toledo 1 at NEWFOUNDLAND 2 (OT)Game 3 – Newfoundland 1 at TOLEDO 4Game 4 – NEWFOUNDLAND 4 at Toledo 2Game 5 – Newfoundland at Toledo – Saturday, June 1 at 7:35 p.m. ETGame 6 – Toledo at Newfoundland – Tuesday, June 4 at 7 p.m. NT (If Necessary)Game 7 – Toledo at Newfoundland – Wednesday, June 5 at 7 p.m. NT (If Necessary)