The Vernon Vipers took a 2-0 series lead over the Trail Smoke Eaters in their best-of-7 Interior Conference quarterfinal match up.
Vernon scored four goals in the third-period to break open a 1-1 tie and defeat the Smoke Eaters 5-2 Saturday (April 6), in Game 2 of the opening round of the BCHL playoffs.
Luke Pakulak scored the game winner 4:10 into the final frame on a set up from Nick Mikan for a 3-1 Vipers lead.
The Vipers victory comes on the heels of a close 2-0 win in Game 1 over the Smoke Eaters on Friday.
Trail won the regular season series against Vernon 4-1, including three wins at home. The Smoke Eaters will have to manufacture wins in Games 3 and 4 when the series moves to Trail if they hope to send the series back to Vernon for Friday’s Game 5.
Trail opened the scoring when Smoke Eaters captain Ethan Warrener beat Vernon goalie Ethan David at 6:08 of the first period.
Vernon tied it 14:07 into the second on a goal from Isaac Tremblay to send the game to the final frame tied at one.
Carson McGinley tallied his first of the playoff 3:47 into the third period on a set up from Erik Pastro and Adam Csabi to give Vernon a 2-1 lead.
After Pakulak made it 3-1, a double-minor to Smoke Eaters forward Adam Marshall gave the Vipers a four-minute power play. Owen Kim scored on the first one and then assisted on Etienne Lessard’s goal 40 seconds later to give Vernon a 5-1 lead.
Trail product Judah Makway completed the scoring with 4:41 remaining in regulation for the 5-2 final.
Vernon outshot Trail 39-30 and went 2-for-6 on the power play, and 5-for-5 on the penalty kill.
In Game 1 on Friday, the teams were in a tight goaltender’s duel with the game scoreless through 57 minutes at Kal Tire Place.
But Vipers forward Kim scored the game winning goal on a shorthanded effort to give the Vipers a 1-0 lead with 2:57 left in regualtion. A concerted forecheck by Vipers forward Pakulak forced a turnover in the Trail end. He then found Kim open in front and the Holy Cross commit beat Smoke Eaters goalie Teagan Kendrick with a quick shot stick side.
Julian Facchinelli scored an empty net goal with a minute and a half remaining to make it 2-0.
David stopped all 30 shots, while Kendrick made 25 saves in the Smoke Eaters net.
Games 3 and 4 of the series will go at the Trail Memorial Centre on Tuesday, April 9 and Wednesday, April 10 with the puck drop at 7 p.m.