The Chilliwack Chiefs are one game away from a BCHL championship after beating the Penticton Vees in overtime Tuesday night.
Carver Watson had the winner 9:19 into overtime as his team won game six of the Fred Page Cup final at the South Okanagan Events Centre. Down 3-1 in the series six days ago, Chilliwack is now in position to win its first title since 2002 and do it on home ice when they host the Vees tomorrow (Tuesday) night at Prospera Centre.
Penticton opened the scoring for the fifth time in the series. Grant Cruikshank lit the lamp with Nicholas Jones drawing the assist. At the end up a scrambly shift in the Chilliwack end, Jones threw the puck on net. The rebound found its way to Cruikshank’s stick in the high slot and the 19 year old rifled the puck past Chiefs netminder Mark Sinclair for his sixth of the playoffs.
The Vees scored the only goal of period two to double their lead.
With Powell Connor caught deep in the Vees zone and his teammates executing a bad line change, speedster Cassidy Bowes was able to lead an odd-man rush into the Chilliwack one. The 18 year old slid a perfect pass across the goal-mouth to Owen Sillinger, who buried it behind Sinclair at 17:16.
Things looked bleak until Davis Bunz energized the Chiefs early in period three. Officially, the defenceman scored unassisted with a shot from the right point. Unofficially, give Justin Dixson a helper with a pinpoint pass from the left corner.
Kohen Olischefski tied the score at 2-2 with 5:25 left in the game, going to the net and burying an epic pass from Jordan Kawaguchi to send the game to overtime.
Credit Sinclair for keeping the comeback alive until Olly’s goal. Minutes before he came up with a massive save on Bowes. Just like on the second Penticton goal the youngster led a two-on-one flanked by Sillinger. This time Bowes went with the shot, and Sinclair got his right shoulder on it.
Sinclair started OT by robbing Duncan Campbell on a point-blank shot, then watched his team go to the power play when Bowes hooked Olischefski on a three-on-two, possibly stopping the Chilliwack forward from ending the game. Bowes had to watch moments later as Carver Watson scored the winner, sneaking the puck through the five hole of Vees keeper Mat Robson.
Puck drop tomorrow night is 7 p.m.
