The Westside Warriors evened their series 1-1 with the Trail Smoke Eaters Saturday night, using two first-period goals to take control in the early going.
Tyler Krause opened the scoring for the Warriors and Alex Grieve tallied soon after. An unassisted marker by Kyle Singleton made it 3-0 for the home team before Sam Mellor got the Smokies on the board with a power play goal.
But Grieve would score his second of the game to give Westside a 4-1 lead that Trail could not overcome though Jake Baker scored late for the visitors. Kevin Boyle made 28 saves for the win and Game 3 will go Monday in Trail.
In Salmon Arm, Bryce Gervais had three assists and Kris Moore stopped 42 of 45 Merritt Centennials shots in a 4-3 SilverBacks win, putting them up 2-0 in the series. Salmon Arm led 3-1 after one and got power play goals from Brett Knowles and Devin Gannon. But Regan Soquila tied it with goals in the second and third before Jarryd Ten Vaanholt got the winner.
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In Victoria, the Nanaimo Clippers pelted Grizzlies goalies Matt Ginn with 43 shots but he made 40 saves in a 5-3 Grizz win, giving them a 2-0 series edge. Again, a big second period was key for Victoria as they scored four straight goals after Brodie Jamieson had opened the scoring for Nanaimo. Wesley Myron, Madison Dias, Michael Colantone and Joel Lowry tallied in the middle frame and Colantone got another in the third before Andrew Gladiuk and Mike Domsodi rounded out the Clips scoring.
In Langley, the Chiefs took a 2-0 series lead over the Alberni Valley Bulldogs with a 3-1 win. Tim Daly and Josh Myers gave Langley a 2-0 first-period lead but Brandon Adams cut the lead in half early in the second. It would prove to be the 'Dogs only goal on the night and Darnell Dyck added the third Chiefs goal not long after. Each goalie was busy with Langley's Wyatt Galley facing 37 shots and the 'Dogs' Frank Slubowski facing 39.
In Surrey, the Eagles grabbed a 2-0 series advantage by downing the Coquitlam Express 4-1. Surrey led 4-0 early in the third after goals by Brad McGowan, Jeff Vanderlugt and a pair by Richard Vanderhoek. Alex Petan scored just after Vanderhoek's second but it was all the Express could muster. Khaleed Devji made 40 saves in the Coquitlam goal.
