The Navan Grads have drawn first blood in their CCHl championship series against the Smiths Falls Bears. Playing on home ice at the Navan Arena, the Grads found themselves trailing the Bears 2-1 heading into the third period.

The Grads eventually tied the game at the 9:07 of the third on a goal by Noah Carpenter. When neither team was able to score a go ahead goal in the remaining 10:53 of the period, the game was sent into overtime.

It took over 18 minutes of end to end action before Devon Savignac was finally able to beat Bear's goalie Dawson Labre with game winner and give the Grads a 1-0 series lead.

Both teams will now travel to Smiths Falls for Game 2 on Sunday. Game 3 will be played back in Navan next Wednesday at 7:30 p.m.

This is the first time the Navan Grads have played in the CCHL finals since they first joined the league in 1991. The Bears made it to the finals last year, and were on the brink of wiinning their first league championship since the '70s before they ultimately lost to the Ottawa Jr. Senators in the seventh and deciding game.