Courtesy of the Trolley Talk blog.
Man, have we come a long way since the last post to Trolley Talk. With the grind of the playoffs it isn’t easy to come up with something after every game, so let’s get started on a recap .
We left off after Summerland was able to hammer out a 5-0 shutout victory in Osoyoos in Game 1. While the severity of the result was unexpected, Summerland played well and put together a full 60 minutes that saw Matt Kostiw stop 35 Coyotes shots and Wyatt Gale record a hat trick. Calvin Hadley and Michael McEachern also chipped in with goals to help the cause.
Game 2 was a little different story. This time it was Bobby LaRue with a hat trick that sent the Coyotes to a 6-2 victory to even the series. The Steam played a good 35 minutes in Game 2, but the 25 minutes they took off cost them. Larue recorded a natural hat trick within nine minutes of the second period to turn a 2-1 score into 5-1 very quickly. The ‘Yotes added one in the third, as would the Steam, to round out the scoring. Jarrett Malchow and Wyatt Gale scored the tallies for Summerland, while Carter Shannon, Judd Repole, and Drew Carter added to Larue’s hat trick to round out the scoring.
Game 3 we saw much of the same from both teams. Summerland opened the scoring thanks to Calvin Hadley just 1:57 into the game. Dan Stone then capitalize on a Coyotes power play to even the score. Stone would strike again, this time shorthanded, and put the ‘Yotes up 2-1 after a period. The Coyotes would then take advantage of a nine-minute lapse in the second period, much like they did in Game 2, as Rainer Glimpel put them up 3-1 just nine seconds into the second period. Josh Pilon would pull Summerland back within one on the power play, but that was as close as Summerland would get. It took just six seconds for the Coyotes to score twice near the midway mark of the second period as Hunter Johnson and Judd Repole scored back-to-back to again send a 3-1 game to a 5-1 score very quickly. Just 3:20 later, Reid Wilson would score at the end of a Coyotes power play to make it 6-1.Summerland showed a little push-back in the third, closing the gap to 6-4 on goals from Pilon (his second of the night) and Andrew York.
In Game 4 it was a different story again, as Summerland was able to put a full 60 minutes together. They gave up the first goal, a power play tally to Rainer Glimpel, but had a great first period and took the lead with two goals in 1:11 from Hadley and Braden Eliuk. The ‘Yotes tied things up before the end of the first period as Wilson beat Steam starter Matt Huber on the power play from the slot. The Coyotes scored four times in Game 4, three of which came on the power play. The ‘Yotes went three-for-three on the power play. Riley Pettitt put the Steam back out to a 3-2 lead just 12 seconds into the second period. It would spell the end for Coyotes’ starter Stephen Heslop replaced by Brett Soles. The change worked as the Coyotes drew even five minutes later thanks to hard work from Johnson. Johnson fought off two Steam defenders behind the net, stepped out in front and had two whacks at a loose puck to beat Huber and tie the score. The ‘Yotes would then take the lead with another power play goal, their third of the night, courtesy of Cody Allen. Allen ran a little interference on the way into the zone, knocking down Hadley. That allowed the ‘Yotes to get set up and Allen found himself at the end of the hammer that put the Coyotes up 4-3 with 11:18 remaining.
Summerland answered back by carrying the play, and eventually having a shot find it’s way through the stick of Adam Jones. Jones’ first of the playoffs brought the game to a 4-4 tie and forcing overtime. The Steam outshot the Coyotes 5-1 in the extra frame, and the fifth and final shot was by Jack Mills to send Summerland to a 5-4 overtime win and a 2-2 series tie.
Game 5 is in Osoyoos at the Sunbowl at 8:35 p.m. with Game 6 at the Summerland Arena at 6:30 p.m.
