Photo/MIKE MALONEY MUSKIE VETERAN Dave Ritchie crashes the net in game four WOAA action at the CDRC on Sunday afternoon. After a slow start, Shelburne erased a four goal deficit to draw within one in the final minutes of play but were unable to score the tying goal to force overtime and now find themselves tied with Elora at 2-2 in their best of seven semi final series. With four games under their belt, the battle between the Shelburne Muskie and Elora Rocks looks like it will be going the distance in this war of attrition that it seems neither team is willing to concede.

Picking up where they left off the Saturday before, Shelburne continued to out play the Rocks when the series resumed in Elora on Friday.

First period goals from Chad Boulton, Matt Lougheed and Greg Patton set the Muskies up with a 3-1 lead after the first period of game three.

In the second, Shawn Adams scored his first of two for the night while Adam Bonneveld continued to be dangerous around the net, tagging what would prove ultimately to be the game winner with just under two minutes remaining in the second.

In the final frame, the two squads traded a pair of goals with Chris Greer notching an empty netter late in the third to seal the win at 7-4 in Shelburne's favour and head home, up by one in this best of seven, semi final.

Looking for some redemption for the loss at home Friday night, Elora was quick off the mark back in Shelburne on Sunday afternoon.

A pair of unassisted goals from Mike Brito and another from Jeremy Machin within the first six and one half minutes of the opening period sent Shelburne starting goalie Rob Senay to the showers early, leaving the Muskies having to come up with a new game plan to start the second down 3-0.

Darran Fischer would widen that lead to 4-0 in favour of Elora before the Muskies seemed to wake from their reverie and began taking the game to the Rocks.

After failing to capitalize on a couple of five on three power play chances earlier in the game, Jason

Moniz teamed up with Tom Viola and Mike Sikora to finally put the Muskies on the board with a power play goal at the 14:40 mark of the second.

Chris Lawrence kept the Fish in the game with a number of big saves through the remainder of the game.

It was Bonneveld that brought the home town crowd alive when he narrowed the margin to 4-2 with just under three minutes remaining in the second.

Another power play goal, this one by Matt Lougheed just 43 seconds into the third, drew the Muskies back to within striking distance of the elusive equalizer.

Fischer restored the two goal cushion nearing the midway point of the third but undaunted, Shelburne redoubled their efforts.

With the clock winding down, Adams scored his second assisted by Patton and Dave Ritchie but that was all Elora's goalie Dallas Cressman would allow, sending the two teams into game five this Friday night in Elora with the series ties at 2-2.

Game six of the series is scheduled for the CDRC at 8 p.m. Saturday night with game seven if necessary back in Elora at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.