Down 3-1 and shorthanded late in the third period, it looked as though the Penticton Vees were bound to drop a pair of points on the road in Trail. But a pair of goals from blueliner Joey Laleggia in the final 2:50 of regulation forced overtime, where Brendan O'Donnell scored to snatch win over the Smoke Eaters.
The game was through 20 minutes after Sam Mellor and Tyler Hlookoff exchanged tallies, but back-to-back power-play goals from Sam Mellor and Travis St. Denis had put the hosts up a pair as the clock ticked down.
Logan Johnston set up both of Laleggia's late goals, while Billy Faust picked up the win with a 31-save effort.
Meanwhile, in Vernon, the Vipers took the back-end of a home-and-home with the Westside Warriors by a 6-4 margin. Veteran forwards Bryce Kakoske and Patrick McGillis each scored twice to pace the Vipers, while Adam Thompson chipped in three points from the blueline. Rookie defenceman Brayden Sherbinin was the bright light for the Warriors with his first two-goal game.
In Merritt, David Killip scored 40 seconds into double overtime to put the Salmon Arm SilverBacks past the Centennials by a 5-4 score. A pair of goals from Brent Fletcher in his first BCHL game had helped the Cents to a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes, but third period markers from Justin Krabben and Morgan Zulinick sent the game to extra time. Lyndon Stanwood entered the game late in the second and stopped all 23 shots he faced for the win.
In Alberni Valley, the Bulldogs avoided a late rally to top the Prince George Spruce Kings by a 5-4 margin. Power-play goals from Trent Murdoch and Tyler Berkholtz had staked the Dawgs to a two-goal lead entering the third period, but a pair from Nic DeSousa made things close near the end. Murdoch was the game's first star after a three-point night, while Ryan Benitez stopped 40 shots in a losing cause.
In Powell River, Chad Niddery had a hand in setting up a trio of Kings goals as the defending Coastal champs netted a 4-1 win over Cowichan Valley. Goals by Craig Dalrymple and Matt Garbowsky staked the hosts to a lead after one period, and Scott Renner and Cohen Adair erased any hope of a Caps comeback after Mike Hammond had cut the deficit to one. Michael Garteig collected the win with 21 saves on the night.
In Surrey, Brad McGowan capped a hat trick with his third power-play marker of the evening as the Eagles soared past Quesnel 3-2. David Thompson and Sam Higgins had given the Mills a lead midway through the second, but the BCHL's scoring leader provided all the offence the home side would need to complete the come-from-behind win. Vinny Lessard was solid in the Surrey net with 42 saves on a night when his team was outshot 44-43.
In Langley, the Chiefs' offensive attack overpowered another opponent in a 7-5 victory over the Coquitlam Express. Down a pair entering the third period, Langley struck for six goals in the final 20 minutes, including four goals in a span of 4:36. Matt Ius, Trevor Gerling and Darnell Dyck each contributed three points in the win, while the Express received two goals from Malcolm McKinney. The victory kept the Chiefs three points ahead of Powell River for first place on the Coast.
