Ben Berard took a centring feed from Carter Turnbull and made no mistake, burying the game- and series-winning tally at 10:36 of overtime to deliver a 4-3 road win for the Powell River Kings over the Victoria Grizzlies that puts Powell River into Round 3.
The Kings led 1-0 after one on a goal by Hunter Findlater but Ethan Nother tied it for Victoria early in the second and then put the Grizzlies ahead later in the middle frame on the power play, diving across the Kings crease to knock in a loose puck. Powell River struck twice in quick succession in the third period to regain the lead with Carter Turnbull tallying, followed by Berard with his first of the night just 40 seconds later.
It was a TJ Friedmann goal at 12:50 of the third on the man advantage that evened things up again and set the stage for overtime. Powell River gained possession after winning a faceoff in the Victoria zone and it was Berard, scoring his eighth of the playoffs, that won it. Powell River advances to face the winner of the Surrey-Prince George series which is going to Game 6 Saturday.
In Vernon, the Wenatchee Wild became the first team in the series to win a game on the road courtesy of Chad Sasaki’s double-overtime winner that puts them up 3-2 in the Interior semis. Lukas Sowder opened the scoring at 4:14 of the first but Vernon replied just 16 seconds later on a Jordan Sandhu goal. The Wild were able to take a 2-1 lead into the second after Jasper Weatherby’s seventh of the playoffs. In the middle frame, neither team would score and it looked as if the Wild lead would stick but Cameron Trott scored a dramatic goal with just one second left in regulation to set the stage for overtime. Nothing was settled in the first OT session but at 3:09 of double overtime, Sasaki collected a rebound off the end boards and was able to beat Ty Taylor with the decisive tally. Wenatchee takes a 3-2 series lead back home where Game 6 goes Saturday at 7:05 p.m.
Levi Glasman scored a pair of goals and was named the game’s 1st Star as the Trail Smoke Eaters downed the host Penticton Vees 4-3, giving Trail a 3-2 series edge. Kale Howarth opened the scoring for the Smokies but the Vees had two replies in short order with Lukas Sillinger tying it and Marcus Mitchell putting them up one only 47 seconds later. Glasman had his first of the game in the middle frame, the only goal of the period, to even the score 2-2 heading to the third. He got the go-ahead goal just past the midway point of the third and it was Braeden Tuck’s empty-net tally that wound up being the winner at 18:19 as Taylor Ward got one back for the Vees in the final mnute. Game 6 goes Saturday at 7 p.m. in Trail
