The West Kelowna Warriors went into game four fighting for their playoff lives. It was a hard nosed checking affair between the two clubs, but it was the Warriors who fought off elimination and pushed the series to game five.
The Vees scored first on Tuesday night but were unable to come up with the win as the Warriors take Game #4 by a 2-1 score in overtime.
Game #5 is set for TOMORROW night in Penticton! 7 PM puck drop at the @SOEC!
GAME RECAP | https://t.co/7mdn6jvR32#BCHLPlayoffs #PaintItBlue pic.twitter.com/1VfHT41CdR
— Penticton Vees (@PentictonVees) March 4, 2020
With 1:15 left in the opening frame and a face-off in the Warriors zone. Jay O’Brien won the draw for the Vees and with a fortuitous bounce, the puck landed on the stick of Jackson Niedermayer who brought in two defenders, leaving Lukas Sillinger alone in the slot where he wristed one past Warriors goalie Johnny Derrick.
It was the goalie show in the second period, which saw both netminders stop 13 shots. Derrick and Yaniv Perets played a phenomenal game which frustrated the shooters. Derrick stood his ground in the hopes that his teammates can squeak one past his counterpart. It wasn’t until the third period when Warriors defenceman Ryan Novecosky did get one past Perets.
It was an OT winner by @tc1318 to send the @BCHLWarriors back to Penticton for game #5 #bchl pic.twitter.com/Ua1V53yN9f
— Tami Quan Photography (@tamiquanphotos) March 4, 2020
The game remained tied at one and for the first time this series, the two clubs needed overtime to decide a winner. In overtime, Tyler Cristall of the Warriors was left alone after a poor clearing from the Vees, where he went backhand top-shelf to finish the game and keep their season alive.
With their astonishing performances, the first and third stars were the goalies. Derrick as the number one and Perets as the third. Cristall, who scored the game-winning goal, ended up as the second star of the game. Nevertheless, the Vees and Warriors meet again in game five on Wednesday night, as the series shifts back to the South Okanagan Events Centre. Puck drop is at 7:00 pm
