A pair of power play goals and a deciding penalty shot in double-overtime gave the Abbotsford Pilots their second win in as many playoffs games against the Aldergrove Kodiaks Wednesday night at Aldergrove Arena.
The Kodiaks were plagued by nine penalty kills in the game, although they managed to score on one of their two power plays.
Still, the Kodiaks were up 3-2 in the last part of the third period before the Pilots took a 5-3 man advantage to score the tying goal at 18:36. Jackson Waniek scored this goal, and at the 5:31 mark of the second overtime was awarded a penalty shot which he also scored on, for the win.
Aldergrove was up 1-0 in the first, with scoring by Lucas Stratford, and assists from Deryk Kirchner and Erik Bocale.
The Pilots scored early in the second on a power play, but Kodiak Brandon Dolby, assisted by Spencer Unger and Davin Padgham, scored on a power play to restore their lead at 2-1.
The Pilots evened it up early in the third but Dolby scored once more at 15:17, assisted by Cameron Davitt.
Two minute penalties were taken for delays of game by Kodiaks Matt Oliver and Kyle Bosko just 20 seconds apart shortly after Dolby’s goal and a boarding penalty against Unger gave the Pilots a sustained two-man advantage for the final minutes of the game, enabling Waniek to score the game evener to take it into overtime.
The Pilots’ man-advantage continued for the first two minutes of the ten minute overtime but neither team was able to score. Thankfully, there were no more penalties against the Kodiaks for the rest of the game but despite some great opportunities the Kodiaks were unable to get the puck past goal keeper Jacob Crawford.
Down 2-0 in the best-of-seven series, the Kodiaks face the Pilots Friday evening at MSA Arena for game three, and return to Aldergrove Arena on Sunday, 7:30 p.m., for game four in the series.
