Anthony Yamnitsky made 31 saves, took 1st Star and backstopped the Wenatchee Wild to a 2-1 road win over the Prince George Spruce Kings that puts the Wild up 3-0 in their best-of-seven series.
After a scoreless first, AJ Vanderbeck got the first marker of the game at 16:29 of the middle frame. It was Jimmy O’Brien’s goal in the third that wound up as the winner for Wenatchee as PG got one from Kyle Johnson aided by an extra attacker in the final minute.
The Spruce Kings got 32 saves from Tavin Grant but were not able to get the equalizer and now face a do-or-die situation Wednesday night in Game 4.
Stephan Seeger played the OT hero once again for the Merritt Centennials in a 4-3 home win over the West Kelowna Warriors that eliminates the defending BCHL and national champs from the postseason. After Mike Faulkner opened the scoring in the first, West Kelowna responded with tallies from Parm Dhaliwal, Jake Harrison and Michael Ryan to go up by two but Brett Jewell got one back for the Cents late in the first. The second period was scoreless and Seeger supplied the both the tying goal in the last minute of regulation the winner 2:03 into OT to send the Cents on to Round 2.
Matthew Galajda made 35 saves to help the Victoria Grizzlies to a 3-2 road win in Game 3 to put them up 2-1 in their series against the Nanaimo Clippers. After Sean Buchanan opened the scoring for the Clippers, Victoria responded with goals from Cole Pickup and Jamie Rome to lead by one after one. Lucas Finner tied the game for Nanaimo in the second but Justin Michaelian notched the winner for the Grizz just 30 seconds into the third. Evan DeBrouwer made 33 saves for the Clippers.
Kale Kane’s third of the playoffs was the winner and Mark Sinclair made 32 saves for the Chilliwack Chiefs in a 3-2 road win over the Langley Rivermen that puts the Chiefs up 3-1 in their series. Anthony Vincent and Linden Hora had the Chiefs up 2-0 after one but Ryan Barrow got Langley on the board early in the second. Kane’s winner was late in the middle frame with Angus Crookshank getting the final Rivermen tally with the extra attacker in the final minute of the third.
A three-goal third-period rally by the Trail Smoke Eaters enabled them to claim a 4-3 road win over the Salmon Arm Silverbacks that puts Trail up 3-0 in the series. The first period was scoreless and Trail’s Connor Brown-Maloski opened the scoring early in the second. But the ‘Backs rallied with power-play goals from Elijiah Barriga and Josh Latta and went up 3-1 on a Carson Bolduc tally. Trail got two goals from Ross Armour in the third to tie it and Carter Cochrane provided the winner against his former team with 3:16 left in the game.
Brian Wilson made all 30 saves and Tristan Mullin’s third-period goal was all that was needed for the Powell River Kings in a 5-0 road win over the Cowichan Valley Capitals. Gavin Rauser and Cam Donaldson scored early in the second to put Powell River in control and Donaldson and Curtis McCarrick added on in the third. Powell River leads the series 3-0.
