In another heartbreaker, the Beaver Valley Nitehawks gave up a pair of goals in the final minutes of the third period to fall 4-3 to the Kimberley Dynamiters in Game 3 of the Kootenay Conference final on Friday at the Hawks Nest.
The Nitehawks now sit firmly behind the eight ball as the Dynamiters take a 3-0 strangle hold on the best-of-seven series. The series easily could have been 2-1 Hawks if not for the Dynamiters penchant for last minute heroics.
The Hawks led 2-1 in Game 2 with two minutes remaining but Kimberley scored three times in the final 1:47 to win the match 4-2. A similar scenario unfolded in Game 3, with the Hawks leading 3-2, Kimberley tied it with 2:51 remaining, and then netted the winner with just 32 seconds left on the clock.
With frantic action in the final minute, Kimberley claimed possession of the puck in the Hawks end. Justin Meier fed Sawyer Hunt in the high slot, and his shot deflected off a Nitehawks player and past Tallon Kramer to score the winner and give the Dynamiters a chance to wrap it up in Game 4 tonight.
The Nitehawks grabbed a 2-0 lead on goals from Alan Pruss and Dylan Heppler, but Tanner Wit scored twice in a 63 second span six minutes into the second period to tie it.
The score remained that way until Hawks forward Sam Swanson chipped the pucks past the Nitros blueliner and broke in on a partial breakaway. With the Kimberley defenceman draped all over him, Swanson fought him off and slapped the puck through the legs of Brouwer with 6:32 remaining to five the Hawks a 3-2 lead.
However, with Jason Richter sitting on Kramer’s lap, Tyler Van Steinburg wristed a shot from the top of the circle that found its way by the screened goaltender to tie it 3-3 with 2:51 to play.
The Nitehawks host Kimberley in Game 4 tonight at the Hawks Next at 7:30 p.m.
