Conyr Hellyer scored eight minutes into double overtime as the Penticton Vees came back to defeat the Prince George Spruce Kings on Tuesday, April 9, to move within one game of advancing to the second round of the BCHL Playoffs.
The Vees topped the Spruce Kings 3-2 in northern B.C., and now lead the best-of-seven series 3-0.
Hellyer’s game-winner capped off a game that had four lead changes. The rookie forward had his shot in overtime deflect off a Spruce Kings’ stick before going past goaltender Ryder Green.
Simon Meier and Anselmo Rego also scored for Penticton, who finished the regular season with the Interior Conference’s best record.
Vees goaltender Will Ingemann made 30 saves in more than 89 minutes of game time.
“I think tonight’s result speaks to the maturity of our group,” said Vees assistant coach Matthew Vanden Berg. “It wasn’t an easy game to play at all. We generated a lot of good looks throughout the night, and it would have been easy for our guys to get frustrated when they weren’t finishing but they stuck to it.”
Meier scored his second of the playoffs at 3:54 of the first period to open the game’s scoring.
After Prince George’s Linden Makow scored the game’s lone goal in the middle frame, Scott Cousins gave the home team the lead just 1:24 into the third period.
Rego notched his second marker of the playoffs just five minutes later to force overtime.
The Spruce Kings, who finished as the Interior’s last-place team, scored their first two goals of the series on Tuesday night after being blanked in games one and two.
Prince George netminder Ryan Sanborn made his first start of the series and recorded 33 saves. He was removed from the game due to injury in overtime.
The Interior rivals meet again on Wednesday night at Kopar Memorial Arena, with Penticton on the verge of advancing to the second round.
Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m.
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