AJ Vanderbeck scored 3:38 into overtime as the Wenatchee Wild threw 59 shots at Vernon Vipers goalie Ty Taylor and pulled out a 4-3 victory Saturday night to win the series 4-2.
Derek Brown, Jimmy Lambert and Niko Karamanis scored first-period goals for the Vipers, while the Wild got one from Zak Galambos and Vernon led 3-1 after one. After a scoreless second period, Jasper Weatherby cut into the lead less than five minutes into the third and Sam Hesler tied the game at the 12:33 mark to force overtime and set up Vanderbeck’s heroics.
After going down 2-0 in the series, Wenatchee won four straight games to win it in six and advance to the Interior Division finals. They will either start on the road against the Penticton Vees or host the Trail Smoke Eaters in game one.
Ethan de Jong had two goals and one assist and Evan DeBrouwer made 37 saves as the Prince George Spruce Kings forced a game seven with a 3-1 win over the Surrey Eagles Saturday night. After a scoreless first period, Prince George scored three goals in just over two minutes, one from Ben Brar and a pair from de Jong, to take a 3-0 lead. Surrey got one back before the end of the frame on a goal by Matthew Campese, but that was all the scoring there would be and the Spruce Kings hung on for the win. After going down 3-1 in the series, Prince George will play game seven at home tomorrow night.
Marcus Mitchell had a hat trick and Massimo Rizzo added a pair of goals as the Penticton Vees beat the Trail Smoke Eaters 6-1 to tie the series and force a seventh and deciding game. Mitchell got the Vees on the board with a first-period goal and followed that up with two more in the second to give his team a 4-0 lead after two. Wyatt Sloboshan had the other Penticton goal and Adam Scheel made 18 saves in the win. Tyler Ghirardosi scored the lone goal for trail who head out on the road for game seven Monday night in Penticton.
