Not even a penalty shot opportunity in overtime could solve the deadlock between the Vernon Vipers and Westside Warriors Friday night in Vernon.
The teams entered Friday's game knotted at 37 points apiece, good enough for a share of fourth in the Interior Conference. After a full 60 minutes and two overtime frames, they couldn't settle anything as they skated to a 2-2 draw and remain tied in the standings.
Vernon had a golden chance to win it in OT with a penalty shot but Westside's Kevin Boyle slammed the door and took second star honours for his 36-save performance. Vernon goals bookended the scoring on the night as Dylan Walchuk struck first for the Snakes at 14:19 of the opening period on the power play. Westside replied with two power play goals of their own in the second, with Shawn Hochhausen and Grayson Downing doing the honours.
It looked like the lead might hold up but Walchuk forced overtime, scoring a goal with under five minutes remaining that also put him into the lead in Vipers scoring on the season.
In overtime, both teams emptied the tanks and each fired seven shots on goal but couldn't score. The Warriors' Alex Grieve was whistled for the penalty shot infraction but Boyle was there to bail his team out.
Meanwhile in Quesnel, two Spencer Graboski goals propelled the Mills to a 3-1 win over the visiting Victoria Grizzlies. The Bears opened the scoring in the first on a Michael Colantone goal but the home side replied in short order, tying it on Graboski's first of the night just before the intermission. Graboski scored again in the second and Chris Blessing added insurance with five minutes left in the game.
A four-goal second period keyed a 6-1 for the Penticton Vees, moving them back into first in the Interior, as they visited the Merritt Centennials. Troy Stecher opened the scoring a 46 seconds and Brendan O'Donnell scored twice on the power play early in the second. It was all the scoring the Vees would need as Jeff Jones provided the only Merritt tally. Joey Benik, Kyle Mountain and Joey Holka rounded out the Vees scoring.
It was a tale of two games in Trail as the Smokies roared out to a 3-0 lead, including two goals from Sam Mellor, before the game was even 10 minutes old but the Surrey Eagles slowly took the game back on their way to a 4-3 win. Dale Hunt netted his first of the game just before the end of the opening twenty minutes and Richard Vanderhoek (first star) tied the game in the second with two markers of his own. Hunt got the winner late in the third on his way to a third star nod.
After a scoreless first period in Nanaimo, the Clippers blew up for six second-period goals against the visiting Coquitlam Express and then cruised to a 6-2 win. The Fitzgerald triplets combined to open the scoring early in the second with Gerry finishing the play while Colton Cyr and Ryan Stanimir had two goals each in the middle frame. Coquitlam got power play goals in the third from Brad Reid and Taylor Gray.
In Prince George, the Cowichan Valley Capitals used two third-period goals to come from behind and defeat the Spruce Kings 4-3. The teams traded goals in the second until Brandon Watson potted a second straight Spruce Kings' goal to put his team up 3-2 heading into the third. It looked like the home team might hang on but Mike Hammond scored one and set up another by Tyler Matheson late to snag the win for the Caps.
In Powell River, a 4-2 Kings win was made a bit more interesting in the third as the Langley Chiefs got two in the final frame but it was too late. The Kings had already built a 3-0 lead on goals from Carter Shinkaruk, Daniel Schuler and Teagan Waugh. Langley's Kody Dhaliwal scored shorthanded to get his team on the board but Matt Garbowsky restored the three-goal lead before Austin Plevy of Langley capped the scoring on the night.
