OTTAWA -- Keanu Yamamoto of Spokane, Wash., continued his torrid post-season scoring pace with the game-winner and a helper as third-seeded McGill skated to a 3-1 triumph over second-place Carleton in their OUA East men's hockey semifinal opener, Thursday.

The Redmen lead the best-of-three series 1-0 and could punch their ticket to the divisional final with a home ice win in Game 2 on Saturday. McGill improved their head-to-head record to 36-25-2 in 63-lifetime meetings since first playing the Ravens in 1968.

Yamamoto, a sophomore who ranks third in the OUA playoff scoring race with a 3-4-7 record in three post-season contests, struck for the eventual winner to put McGill ahead 2-0 at 9:15 of the opening period. The 5-foot-10, 165-pound winger also drew an assist on the insurance goal, setting up linemates Frederic Gamelin and Michael Cramarossa, who converted to put McGill ahead 3-1 at 14:36 of the final period.

Freshman Nicolas Poulin had given the visitors a 1-0 lead just 79 seconds earlier, assisted by Samuel Tremblay and Antoine Dufort-Plante. The play developed out of a fast transition from the McGill zone, initiated by a 3-on-1 breakout. But Tremblay lost his stick at the McGill blueline and had to drop back to retrieve it before rejoining the attack and setting up the goal.

Rounding out the scoring was Carleton's Brogan O'Brien, who connected on a 5-on-3 power-play to narrow the gap to 2-1 at 7:20 of the third period.

Junior netminder Louis-Philip Guindon made 36 saves for the win, improving his playoff record to 3-0 on the season and 12-3 over his three seasons at McGill.

Carleton goalie Francois Brassard conceded three goals on 35 shots for the loss.

Carleton, which had a 37-35 edge in shots, went 1-for-4 on the power-play, while McGill was 0-for-3. Redmen rearguard Nathanael Halbert was ejected for a boarding major at 17:41 of the third and will have to serve an automatic one-game suspension. He will sit out Game 2 of the series, at McConnell Arena on Saturday at 7 p.m. If a rubber match is needed, it will be back in the nation's capital on Sunday at 7 p.m.

SCORING SUMMARY

OUA PLAYOFF SCOREBOARD