WEST KELOWNA 4, CRANBROOK 3 (OT)
After being crushed 8-2 in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series, The Cranbrook Bucks put together a much better effort in Game 2, but the West Kelowna Warriors still found a way to take a 2-0 series lead.
In the first and second periods, both teams exchanged goals in a back-and-forth affair to the bitter end. The Warriors took a 3-2 lead just 1:38 into the final frame, but with just under four minutes remaining in the period, the Bucks scored the equalizer, forcing the game to overtime.
All it took was one shot and 16 seconds of overtime, as Warriors forward Trent Wilson deposited his second goal of the postseason, giving West Kelowna the win and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Cranbrook had a slight edge in shots over West Kelowna, 31-29. The Warriors scored the game’s lone powerplay goal, as their powerplay was 1-for-4, while Cranbrook didn’t generate any offence on their three attempts.
The series now shifts back to Cranbrook, where the two teams will meet for Games 3 and 4, starting Tuesday night.
At Penticton, the Vees peppered Prince George with 45 shots in Game 2 of their first-round match, and now have a 2-0 series lead over the Spruce Kings.
After a scoreless first period, the hometown Vees brought their fans out of their seats early in the second, as Connor MacPherson scored his first of the series to give Penticton a 1-0 advantage.
Then, with the Vees on a powerplay in the third period, Simon Meier ripped home his first of the series. Minutes later, MacPherson decided he wasn’t done scoring, adding his second of the evening to put the Vees in cruise control en route to a 3-0 victory.
The Vees heavily outshot the Spruce Kings 45-13. Both clubs will do battle in Prince George for Games 3 and 4, starting on Tuesday.
The Salmon Arm Silverbacks’ poor start at home in Game 2 against the Merritt Centennials proved to be costly.
10 seconds is all it took for the Centennials to strike first blood, sending shockwaves through the crowd of 1294 at the Shaw Centre. Seven minutes later, the Cents added to their lead after Charles Thomas-Larochelle tucked in his first goal of the postseason.
Thomas-Larochelle wasn’t done there. In the opening minutes of period two, he scored his second goal of the game to give his club a 3-0 lead.
The Silverbacks would score once in the second and once in the third, but the Cents hung on to take a 3-2 decision. Salmon Arm finished the game with a slight edge in shots, 36-35.
The series is now tied at one-game-a-piece, and Merritt will have home-ice advantage for Games 3 and 4 starting Tuesday.
The Trail Smoke Eaters are returning home for Games 3 and 4 with plenty of work to do, after dropping the first two games of their opening-round playoff series against the Vernon Vipers.
After being shutout in Game 1, the Smoke Eaters opened the scoring in Game 2, as Ethan Warrener buried his team’s first goal of the postseason.
The Vipers were held off of the scoresheet until the 14:07 mark of the second period, as Issac Tremblay scored, and seemingly opened the floodgates of offense for Vernon.
In the third period, the Vipers scored four unanswered goals to take a 5-1 lead. Trail would however add one more goal, but ultimately fell by a score of 5-2 and find themselves down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series. They’ll need to continue to try and find some offense, after scoring just two goals through two games.
Games 3 and 4 get underway in Trail beginning Tuesday night.
Saturday’s results
- Blackfalds 4, Saint Grove 2 (Regular season)
- Sherwood Park 6, Brooks 3 (Regular season)
- Chilliwack 2, Langley 1 (OT) (Chilliwack leads series 2-0)
- Victoria 8, Nanaimo 2 (Victoria leads series 2-0)
- Coquitlam 4, Alberni Valley 2 (Series tied 1-1)
- Surrey 5, Cowichan Valley 0 (Surrey leads series 2-0)
Sunday’s games
- Okotoks at Spruce Grove (Regular season)
The Kelowna Rockets are just one win away from closing out their best-of-seven series against the Wenatchee Wild, as they look to advance to round 2 on home ice Sunday afternoon.
The Rockets led the series 3-1, but the Wild now have some momentum as they hit the ice in Game 6, after taking a 5-4 overtime win on Friday night.
Kelowna has outscored Wenatchee 21 to 16 through five games, with their offense being led by Tij Iginla, who has 7 goals and 1 assist thus far.
For Wenatchee, their leading point scorer this postseason is Briley Wood – tallying 6 goals and 5 assists through the first five games.
The Rockets will move on to the second round with a win, but if the Wild are the victors, Wenatchee will host a series-deciding Game 7 on Tuesday.
Kelowna has not advanced past first round since the 2016-17 season, where they eliminated Kamloops in the opening round before beating Portland in round two and then falling in the Western Conference final to the Seattle Thunderbirds, who went on to win the WHL Championship title.
Puck drop on Sunday at Prospera Place is scheduled for 2:05 p.m.
Saturday’s games
- No games scheduled
Sunday’s games
- Vancouver at Everett (Everett leads series 3-1)