They accounted for 109 goals in the regular season, almost half of the first-place R.E. Postill & Sons Orphans’ offence.
Bryce Kakoske and Leath Gare are the most dangerous linemates in the Vernon Hockey League and they supplied all the goals Wednesday night as the Orphans rallied to stop the Godard Excavating Predators 5-4 at Priest Valley Arena.
Game 2 in the best-of-three playoff championship went Thursday night at PV. A third game, if necessary, would go Sunday, 6:15 p.m., at the Wesbild Centre.
Gare, who racked up 40 goals in a solid college career with the Concordia Thunder after pocketing 33 goals with the BCHL Prince George Spruce Kings, earned 3+1 Wednesday.
Kakoske, who helped the Vernon Vipers win two national titles, added 2+2 for the Orphans, who were missing five regulars, including veteran centre Rob Bauml, in Boston for an insurance company tournament.
Ryan Kurbis managed two helpers for the 20-7-0-3 Orphans, who trailed 2-1 at the break.
Gare opened the scoring at 10:43 on a shorthanded breakaway after taking a feed from d-man Jeff Ovington, who picked off a Predator pass.
Luc Blinkhorn equalized 87 seconds later when he buried his own rebound past Jason Silzer.
Matt Litzenberger put the Preds up with 2:03 left in the first, seven seconds into a hooking penalty assessed Orphan blueliner Joe Dolling. Assists went to Kenny Johnstone and Tyler Willms.
The teams swapped goals a few times in the second period before Kakoske got the winning snipe at 2:36, assisted by Kurbis and Dolling.
Justin Horochuk scored twice for the fifth-place Preds (18-10-0-2).
The Orphans took three of five minor penalties. Each team had 31 shots.
Meanwhile, a total of 36 teams begin play tonight in the annual Checkers Rec Hockey Tournament.
There are a dozen women’s teams, including the Armstrong league champion Buy-Low Vixens. Games go all weekend at all three Vernon rinks.
