The Sladen Moore Lakers pushed the host Kamloops Mystiks to Game 3 in the Okanagan Mainline Female Pee Wee A Hockey League finals but fell 6-3 Sunday.
The Lakers played their best hockey of the year Saturday in a 4-2 win at Wesbild Centre on the strength of a pair of goals each from Emily Clark and Molly Box.
The Laker defence of Cassidy Marshall, Chelsae McCaig, Tylee Cooper, Makenna Southam, Ailish Curran and Box had a superb effort moving the puck and supplying aggressive defence in front of Bailey Berndt.
The Lakers welcomed back Mairyn Tucker, who was out with the flu, and she added some spark to the Laker forecheck. Easton Gilowski had a strong game in front of the Mystiks net creating opportunities for the Laker snipers.
The line of Makenna Hofman, Andie Kaneda and Jordan Butler had a stellar game.
In game 3, Kamloops took an early lead before playoff scoring leader Box equalized late in the first. Kamloops pulled away in the second with four goals before Box added her second and the teams traded goals in the third with Clarke scoring from Kaneda.
“The Lakers gained great experience this season and will have 15 players eligible to return next year while Kamloops will only have five players returning,” said Vernon coach Keith Tucker.
Kamloops moves on to the provincial playoffs, March 19-23, in Clearwater, along with Surrey, Victoria, Nelson and the host team.
