SYDNEY — It should come as no surprise that the Cape Breton High School Hockey League championship series is down to a best-of-three affair.

After all, the Riverview Redmen only just edged out the Glace Bay Panthers to win the regular season title. And given the number of games they’ve played against each other this season and that the two teams are equally matched, it’s only fitting that the battle for local bragging rights appears to be heading right down to the wire.

On Sunday, the Redmen parlayed a gritty effort into a 4-1 win over their new archrivals. The game, played before a crowd of about 300 at the Canada Games Complex, was closer than the score might indicate.

The visiting Redmen, who entered the game trailing the series 2-1, opened the scoring in the first period on a power-play goal by Logan Beaton. Riverview took a 2-0 lead in the second on a second goal with the man advantage that saw Andrew McCarron get credit for the marker.

But the Panthers fought back and entered the third period trailing by just one after Robbie Harroun scored on the power play. However, just when it looked like the game would go down to the wire, Riverview defenseman Dylan MacDonald finished off a nifty passing play to give his team an insurance marker.

Glace Bay’s comeback chances diminished further when a cross-checking penalty left them shorthanded with two minutes to play. The Panthers pulled goalie Cody Smith in favour of an extra attacker, but to no avail as Redmen captain Josh MacKay cemented the affair as he scored into the empty net.

Riverview outshot Glace Bay 26-25.

Game 5 of the best-of-seven series is set for Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the County Recreation Centre in Coxheath, while Game 6 is slated for the following night back at the Canada Games Complex, a 7:15 p.m. puck drop.

Earlier this season, the Redmen captured the Memorial High School-hosted Mae Kibyuk Memorial Green and Gold tournament, while Glace Bay won its own Panther Classic. Riverview made it to the final of their own Red Cup but lost to Halifax West.

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