The West Kelowna Warriors scored twice in the third period to defeat the Penticton Vees 2-1 in Game 5 of the second round of the BCHL playoffs to take a series lead 3-2.
"I thought we had a great game tonight and clearly they continue to play really well as well. They are doing a fantastic job in their defensive zone. They are battling hard. It was a hard fought game that frankly, I think, we deserved to win," said Vees assistant coach Steve Cawley.
After a scoreless first period at the South Okanagan Events Centre, the Vees Nicholas Jones redirected a shot fired by Dante Fabbro into the back of the net. The goal snapped the Vees drought, 136 minutes without a goal dating back to the first period of Game 3 in the series, and gave them a 1-0 lead sending the crowd of over 3,000 people into a frenzy. It was Jones' seventh goal of the post-season and second of the series.
The Vees outshot the Warriors 23-14 after 40 minutes. In the third period, Warriors Nick Rutigliano had a chance to jump up in the odd-man rush, and got his stick on Quin Foreman’s centering pass. It slipped over the line past Vees netminder Zach Driscoll to tie the game at 6:38.
Late in the third period Warriors defenceman Rylan Yaremko’s second career playoff goal turned out to be the difference. The puck came back to Yaremko, who fired a wrist-shot towards the net that bounced off the top of Driscoll’s glove, then off the cross-bar, and in with just over four-minutes on the clock.
"It's playoff hockey. You play five games over the course of seven days there is going to mistakes, there is going to be bounces, there is going to be all sorts of different things," said Cawley of the puck bounces that seemed to go in the Warriors favour.
The Vees pulled their goalie for an extra attacker. With 48-seconds left the puck came out to the middle but Tyson Jost's shot was blocked by two diving defenders and smothered. The Warriors had several big shot blocks late in the game to help secure their victory.
The Warriors win sends them back to Royal LePage Place with a 3-2 series lead and a 7 p.m. Saturday night Game 6.
-With files from Fraser Rogers