Photo credit: Garrett James Photography
Nanaimo Clippers – 6
Chilliwack Chiefs – 3
A Sean Donaldson hat trick and a 35-save performance from Cooper Black proved to be the recipe for success for the Nanaimo Clippers as they defeated the Chilliwack Chiefs 6-3 in Game 2 to remain undefeated in the 2022 postseason.
Donaldson made it 1-0 Clippers midway through the first period, but the Chiefs answered back before the end of the frame on an AJ Lacroix power-play goal that made it 1-1 at intermission. Donaldson gave his team the lead back in the second and Jérémie Payant added on to make it 3-1, but Chilliwack stormed back with Cameron Johnson scoring twice before the end of the period to tie the game 3-3. After Nanaimo had a disallowed goal early in the third, they kept pressing and Donaldson eventually scored his hat trick goal, circling around the offensive zone and beating Chiefs goalie Grant Riley with a wrist shot. That would stand up as the winner as the Clippers added two empty-net goals, one by Jake Hewitt and the other by Brody Waters, to make it a 6-3 final.
Chilliwack outshot Nanaimo for the second game in a row, this time by a 38-25 margin, but Cooper Black had another strong night in net, earning his sixth win of the playoffs.
The Clippers head home up 2-0 in the series and will try to keep their winning streak going in Game 3 on Monday night.
Langley Rivermen – 2
Alberni Valley Bulldogs – 1
In another low-scoring, tight-checking game, the Langley Rivermen got 35 saves from goaltender Ajeet Gundarah and timely scoring from Vitaly Levyy and Ryan Upson to defeat the Alberni Valley Bulldogs 2-1 and take a 2-0 series lead. Levyy and Alberni’s Ethan Bono exchanged goals in the first period before Upson scored the game-winner at the 12:03 mark of the middle frame. Gundarah made a sprawling glove save late in the game off of Josh Van Unen with the Bulldogs pressing to tie the game. That ended up being the difference and sealed the win for Langley. He was named the first star of the game. Despite the loss, Alberni outshot Langley 36-19.. Game 3 is in Langley on Tuesday night.
Penticton Vees – 6
Prince George Spruce Kings – 2
For the second game in a row, the Nadeau brothers carried the offence for the Penticton Vees, combining for six points in a 6-2 win over the Prince George Spruce Kings to take a 2-0 series lead. Bradley Nadeau scored the game’s first goal in the opening period and Josh Nadeau added two of his own in the second. Up until the third period, the Nadeau brothers had scored all five of the Vees goals in the series. Rowan Miller and Luc Laylin tallied for Prince George, who briefly took a 2-1 lead in the middle frame, but were outgunned by the Vees after that. Kaeden Lane stopped 23 of 25 shots to earn the win. Game 3 goes Monday night in PG.
West Kelowna Warriors – 4
Salmon Arm Silverbacks – 1
Felix Trudeau, Elan Bar Lev Wise and Marcus Joughin each had multi-point nights and Johnny Derrick stopped 28 of the 29 shots he faced as the West Kelowna Warriors topped the Salmon Arm Silverbacks 4-1 to take a 2-0 series lead. Tyler Cristall, Bar Lev Wise and Trudeau each scored to put the Warriors up 3-0 after two. Salmon Arm would get one back in the third on a Zack Smith goal, but West Kelowna answered on a Nick Roukounakis goal just over a minute later that killed the home team’s comeback. The Silverbacks will look to get back into the series on the road in Game 3 on Monday.
