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BCHL Playoff recap – Saturday, April 8

Jake Smith scored twice, including the game-winner early in the third period, as the Chilliwack Chiefs defeated the Victoria Grizzlies 4-2 and won the Coastal finals 4-2 to claim a spot in the Fred Page Cup BCHL Finals.

Victoria’s Marty Westhaver opened the scoring early in the first but Chilliwack’s Tommy Lee replied just 26 seconds later to make it 1-1 after 20 minutes. In the second, Smith got his first of the night for the only goal of the period.

Smith’s winner came just 1:38 into the third. Cole Pickup got one back for the Grizz in the final minute of the game with the extra attacker on the ice but Linden Hora potted an empty-netter at 19:59 to seal the win and the series. Mark Sinclair made 23 saves for the win. Chilliwack advances to the BCHL Finals for the second-straight season. They await the winner of the Vernon Vipers-Penticton Vees series which goes to Game 7 Monday in Penticton.

In Vernon, the Vipers built a 3-0 lead by the middle of the second period on the way to a 5-1 home win over the Penticton Vees that sets up a Game 7 Monday in Penticton.

Steven Jandric opened the scoring early in the first on the power play for the only goal of the opening frame. Cooper Watson and Niko Karamanis scored 16 seconds apart in the second putting Vernon up three. Penticton got their lone goal from Mitch Meek late in the second.

Penticton pulled goalie Mat Robson in favour of an extra attacker during a third-period power play but Jimmy Lambert was able to score shorthanded into the empty net. Jesse Lansdell rounded out the Vipers scoring with a goal at 17:59. Darion Hanson made 37 saves for the win and was named 1st Star. Game 7 goes Monday at 7 p.m. in Penticton.