AJ Vanderbeck and Jasper Weatherby each scored and Austin Park stopped 27 of 28 shots as the Wenatchee Wild got by the Trail Smoke Eaters 2-1 in Game 3 on Tuesday night to take a commanding 3-0 series lead in the Interior Division final.
Trail opened the scoring on a Spencer McLean tally midway through the first period, but Vanderbeck replied for Wenatchee with his sixth of the playoffs to tie the game after one. Weatherby scored the eventual game-winner midway through the second period as Park shut the door the rest of the way and the Wild held on for the one-goal victory.
Weatherby’s 11th goal of the postseason ties him for most in the BCHL playoffs and also gives him a league-high 24 points. Park was at his best for the Wild in the third period where he stopped all 15 Trail shots to preserve the win.
The Smoke Eaters will look to stay alive tomorrow night at home in Game 4.
Nolan Welsh had a pair of goals and Layton Ahac and Blake Hayward chipped in with a goal and an assist each as the Prince George Spruce Kings beat the Powell River Kings 5-4 in Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead. Hayward and Welsh got Prince George on the board with first-period goals, but Powell River replied in the second with goals from Carmine Buono, Neal Samanski and Ben Berard to take a 3-2 lead. Welsh and Ahac answered for the Spruce Kings before the end of the period to give their team a 4-3 lead heading into the third. Dustin Manz extended the Prince George lead 30 seconds into the period, while Kevin Obssuth scored for Powell River with under three minutes to play, but Prince George and goaltender Evan DeBrouwer, who made 33 saves, held on for the 5-4 win. Carter Turnbull had three assists for Powell River in the loss and Berard’s goal was his 11th of the playoffs which ties him for most in the BCHL. After tonight, Turnbull and Berard are also tied for second in postseason scoring. Prince George will have a chance to eliminate Powell River at home in Game 5 on Thursday night.
