Kyle Just scored a late goal in double overtime of Game 3 to give the Lumber Kings a 2-1 win over the Colts and a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven CCHL Finals.

PHOTO CREDIT - Robert Lefebvre/www.icelevel.com

Cornwall - Apr. 9, 2011 - It was a game the Colts could have easily won, and probably should have won.

But it wasn't to be.

Instead of celebrating on the Pembroke Memorial Centre ice on Friday night, the Colts had to endure a long, deflating bus trip home knowing that they had just missed a glorious chance to take control of the best-of-seven CCHL Final series with the Lumber Kings.

Kyle Just scored with a little more than a minute to go in the second overtime period of a gruelling Game 3 to give the Lumber Kings a 2-1 win and a 2-1 lead in the series.

The goal was all the more heartbreaking for the Colts as they had a number of chances of their own to net the overtime winner, but they just couldn't seal the deal.

The game - which clocked in at three hours and 23 minutes - was a continuation of sorts from the first two games of the series in that both teams were checking hard and battling for every inch of ice. Goalies Francis Dupuis of Pembroke and Pete Karvouniaris of Cornwall continued their excellent play as they stopped 47 and 41 shots respectively.

As you might expect in a championship series, players from both teams were more than willing to sacrifice their bodies to finish a play or block a shot. Few exemplified this more than Cornwall's Leslie Lavictoire, who dove to the ice to take away a glorious scoring chance from Matthew Peca in overtime. Later, he took a high stick to the face - which went uncalled - but got up and kept on skating.

Clearly, the effort and dedication was there from the Colts, but it just wasn't to be on this night.

As for the Lumber Kings, they once again showed why they are the four-time defending champions. Despite being short a few players late in the game due to injury and illness, the Kings still had that killer instinct, and they still found a way to win the game.

Peca opened the scoring for the Lumber Kings as he scored a beautiful shorthanded goal on a semi-breakaway early in the second period. It stayed that way until early in the third when Kyle Baun batted in a rebound from in close to tie things up.

The two teams will now get a couple of days to rest up before facing off again in Game 4 on Monday night at the Cornwall Civic Complex (7:30 p.m.).

Game 5 will be back in Pembroke on Wednesday, while Games 6 and 7, if needed, will take place next Thursday and Saturday.