Connor Chartier had a big night for the Penticton Vees against the West Kelowna Warriors Saturday night at Royal LePage Place.
He netted the tying goal then set up Dakota Conroy for the 3-2 winner. And this time the Vees didn't require overtime to defeat the Warriors and grab a 3-1 series lead in the BCHL Interior Division semifinal.
Trailing 2-1 heading into the third period after Kristian Blumenschein and Liam Blackburn gave the Warriors a lead in the second period, Miles Gendron set up Chartier at 5:03. With less than three minutes remaining in regulation time, Chartier and Lewis Zerter-Gossage setup Conroy to bury the winner past Stephen Heslop, who started the second straight game for the Warriors. He finished with 37 saves and was named the first star, while Hunter Miska was only required to turn aside 27 shots after a 79-save performance the night before. Defenceman Gabe Bast put the Vees up 1-0 with a shot from inside the blue line with assists going to Patrick Newell and Tyson Jost.
The Vees played with 16 players, 11 forwards and five defenceman as Mike Lee did not dress after sustaining a lower body injury during the second period of Game 3. For the Warriors, Program of Excellence goalie Colten Lancaster backed up Heslop as Andy Desautels did not dress this time. Warriors rookie backup Scott Patton missed his second game with an injury. The Warriors were also without forward Brayden Gelsinger.
The Warriors power play finally struck, going 1-for-2, while the Vees went 0-for-4.
The Vees are now a perfect 5-0 at RLP this season, including regular season action and have outscored the Warriors 26-11. The team that has carried a lead into the third period has lost three of the four games so far.
The Vees can finish off the Warriors on Monday at the South Okanagan Events Centre at 7 p.m.
In other BCHL playoff action, the Vernon Vipers swept the Merritt Centennials out of the playoff picture with a 6-5 win in Merritt Saturday night. The Chilliwack Chiefs took a 3-1 series lead over the Coquitlam Express with a 7-2 win. The Langley Rivermen evened their series with the Prince George Spruce Kings at two with a 4-1 win. The Nanaimo Clippers failed to eliminate the Alberni Valley Bulldogs after a 5-4 overtime loss and the Powell River Kings and Victoria Grizzlies are deadlocked at two after the Grizzlies dumped them 6-1.