The Home Hardware Midget AAA Legionnaires showed flashes of brilliance in Game 1 of their league semi-final series with the Notre Dame Hounds but couldn't capitalize a few key chances, ultimately falling 5-2.

The Hounds put their foot on the gas to start the best-of-five series, putting a pair of goals past Cody Levesque at 8:53 courtesy of Luke Mylymok, and 1:10 from Ethan Ernst of the first period. Notre Dame out-shot Swift Current 21-7.

"Our first 20 was good in a sense that we created - we had a lot of really good scoring chances and their goalie probably was the difference in the first period," said Legionnaires head coach Darren Evjen. "They capitalized on a goal off a shin pad, and then they get another after winning a battle. But, I didn't mind our first period at all."

Down 2-0 to the league's top team, the Legionnaires shook off the frame and effectively regrouped in the first intermission.

"It was positive - we're playing and doing good things," said Evjen of the speech between periods. "We just have to stay with our game, push a little harder, tweak a few little areas and have a good second period - that's exactly what we did."

Just over eight minutes into the middle frame, rookie forward Chase Gallant buried a puck in the Hounds' net on assists from linemate Riley Dekowny and defenceman Lucas Ochitwa.

Then, nearly five minutes later, the Legionnaires tied the game up on their lone powerplay goal of the contest - a point shot from Mkyllan Couture. Alternate captain Christian Riemer and captain Owen Ozar chipped in helpers on the play.

But after battling back to a dead even 2-2 game, the Notre Dame Hounds jumped ahead once again - this time for good.

With 4:29 left in the period and on a powerplay of their own, Hounds forward Nolan Renwick scored the eventual game-winner.

However the lead stayed at just one goal until 8:53 left in the game when Ernst potted his second. Renwick followed suit with the net empty and 1:56 on the clock, as goal number two stretched the score to 5-2.

Not to be overlooked in the game, goalie Cody Levesque stood strong in net for Swift Current stopping 36 of 40 shots. Through five games, Levesque carries a 2.21 goals-against-average and .930 save-percentage.

"He played well," said Evjen. "There was nothing wrong with the way he played - he gave us a chance to win."

His counterpart Aaron Randazzo turned aside 21 of 23 Legionnaires shots in net for Notre Dame.

The Legionnaires now turn to a Game 2 with home-ice advantage, looking to build momentum after gaining their footing in the series and posting a steady effort.

"First of all it's Game 1 so you get a feel for what they are, and now we can dive into the video and take a look where we can make some corrections, and where we did some good things - build off that and get it ready for Game 2," noted Evjen on their approach and comfort level on the series moving forward. "We'll have a better idea I think after tonight's game."

Game 2 in the best-of-five series goes Sunday at 1:30 p.m. from the Innovation Credit Union iPlex.