Sam Hesler’s first goal of the playoffs was a big one, the game-winner in the final minute of regulation for the Wenatchee Wild in a 4-3 home win over the Vernon Vipers that gets the Wild on the board in the Interior semifinal series.
Wenatchee’s power play went to work in the first, producing goals by Cooper Zech and Sam Morton before Keyvan Mokhtari got the Vipers on the board with 14 seconds to go in the opening frame. The visitors went ahead in the second with Michael Young scoring and Niko Karamnis potting a power-play tally to make it 3-2 Vernon going to the third.
It looked like the lead might hold up but Nathan Iannone got the equalizer for the Wild and just when it seemed OT was inevitable, Hesler got the winner at 19:03. Austin Park made 21 saves for the win while Ty Taylor turned aside 42 shots for Vernon. Game 4 goes Wednesday at 7:05 p.m. in Wenatchee.
Carter Jones’ goal at 1:35 of overtime was the winner for the Trail Smoke Eaters in a 4-3 win on home ice over the Penticton Vees that get’s Trail back in the series, now down 2-1. Owen Sillinger opened the scoring for the Vees just 1:20 into the game but Trail replied with power-play tallies from Blaine Caton and Levi Glasman to go up 2-1 after one. Jared Nash got the only goal of the second to tie the game and in the third, Jeremy Lucchini’s goal looked like it might stand up as the winner but Jonny Tychonick scored with just 20 seconds left in regulation to force OT. Jones’ winner came almost before the ice was dry in OT with Kale Howarth drawing an assist. Game 4 goes Wednesday at 7 p.m. in Trail.
In Powell River, Hunter Findlater scored twice in the first period and Ben Thomas’ goal in the third was the winner for the Kings in a 3-2 victory over the Victoria Grizzlies that puts Powell River up 3-1 in the series. Findlater scored just 1:07 into the game and added his second just over six minutes later. In the middle frame, Victoria got on the board on a Jordan Guiney tally, his first of the playoffs. The score remained 2-1 until Thomas put the Kings out of reach with a goal at 10:57 of the third. Marty Westhaver got one back for the Grizzlies only 30 seconds after Thomas’ goal but they would get no closer. Matteo Paler-Chow made 34 saves in the win while Kurtis Chapman stopped 40 for Victoria. Game 5 goes Friday at 7 p.m. in Victoria.
Mario Cavaliere stopped all 23 shots that came his way and John Wesley’s goal at 5:50 of the first was enough for the Surrey Eagles in a 4-0 win over the visiting Prince George Spruce Kings. The win puts Surrey up 3-1 in the series. Matthew Campese added on shortly after Wesley’s goal and Jeff Stewart made it 3-0 heading to the first intermission. Neither team scored in the second despite Surrey getting three power plays and in the third, Jackson Ross’ goal late in the proceedings rounded out the scoring for Surrey.
