Adam Marcoux made his first start of the postseason and responded with 46 saves, backstopping the Trail Smoke Eaters to a 5-2 win over the visiting Vernon Vipers that ties the series 3-3.
The game was scoreless until late in the first when Hayden Rowan and Mack Byers scored 2:04 apart to give Trail a two-goal lead going to the second. Kent Johnson extended the lead for the home side in the second before Ben Sanderson got Vernon on the board late in the middle frame.
Owen Ozar and Byers, with his second of the game, scored in the third to put Trail in control. Michael Young had a late reply for Vernon. Game 7 will be Monday at 7 p.m. in Vernon.
A four-goal third period allowed the Powell River Kings to come back and defeat the Victoria Grizzlies 4-2 and force a Game 7 in that series as well. There was no scoring at all until the last minute of the second period when Cam Thompson scored to put Victoria ahead. In the third, it was BCHL leading goalscorer Ryan Brushett who came through with two goals in 17 seconds to put Powell River in the lead and Mitch Williams made it 3-1 after that. Victoria got one back off the stick of Alexander Campbell but it was as close as they’d get. Neal Samanski iced it with an empty-net tally at 18:37. Mitch Adamyk made 33 saves for the win. Game 7 will be 7 p.m. Monday in Victoria.
