Photo credit: Garrett James Photography
Alberni Valley Bulldogs – 3
Chilliwack Chiefs – 2
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs and Chilliwack Chiefs looked like they were headed to overtime with the score tied 2-2, but Bulldogs forward Ethan Bono had other ideas as he deflected home a point shot with 29 seconds to play in regulation to give his team a 3-2 win and help Alberni Valley advance to the Fred Page Cup Finals for the first time in franchise history. The first two periods of this game were low scoring as Bulldogs forward Cam VanSickle scored the only goal to give his team a 1-0 lead heading into the third, but Chilliwack got going in the final frame and took the lead on goals by Dalton MacGillivray and Duncan Ramsay less than five minutes in. Jax Wismer tied the game for Alberni shortly after before Bono won it late. Bulldogs goalie Campbell Arnold stopped 31 of 33 shots in the game. Alberni now awaits the winner of the Interior Conference Final.
Salmon Arm Silverbacks – 3
Penticton Vees – 2 (OT)
For the second night in a row, these two teams went to overtime tied 2-2, but this time around it was the Salmon Arm Silverbacks coming out on top after an Isaac Lambert winner 3:36 into extra time. Callum Arnott got the scoring started for Penticton in the first period, but the Silverbacks knotted things up in the second on a goal by Ethan Ullrick and it was 1-1 headed to the third. The Vees regained the lead on an Aydar Suniev one-timer from the point on the power play just 48 seconds into the period, but Ullrick came up clutch again for Salmon Arm, tying the game midway through the period and forcing overtime. ‘Backs goalie Matthew Tovell was phenomenal once again, making 33 saves on 35 shots. His most important stop came in overtime on a Josh Nadeau breakaway where he stretched out his left pad to stop the attempt, setting up Lambert’s winner just seconds later. The series shifts back to Penticton for Game 5 on Friday night.
