After surviving a scare in a penalty-plagued third period Saturday, the Campbell River Peewee A Tyees took care of business and claimed the Vancouver Island Tier 2 championship banner with a pair of victories over Powell River last weekend.
A nail-biting 4-3 win Saturday, followed by a 4-2 victory Sunday at Powell River, gave the No. 1 Autobody peewees a sweep of the best-of-3 series and lifted the Tyees into the Tier 2 provincial championship tournament Mar. 15-20 in Prince George.
The Island title did not come without some drama.
The Tyees led Saturday’s opener 2-0 entering the final period and 4-1 with less than five minute remaining.
But Nicholas Porchetta scored for the Kings with 3:17 left and struck again on a 5-on-3 power play just over a minute later to make it 4-2. The game ended with Powell River skating with a 6-on-4 advantage thanks to another Tyees penalty and the pulling of goalie Ryan Smillie.
“We got into a bunch of penalty trouble that killed the flow of the game and our momentum,” Tyees coach Craig Idiens said. “But the kids did a good job of battling. Overall, our penalty kill was very good for us.”
Owen Parker scored a pair of goals in the win, both assisted by Davis Frank. Jordan Baker added an unassisted tally and Brian Majic scored off an assist by Jacob Thomas.
In Sunday’s rematch in Powell River, the Tyees again ran out to a 4-1 lead well into the third period. This time, after the Kings began their comeback with a goal with seven minutes to go, Tyees goalie Jace Hudak and his mates slammed the door.
Parker got the scoring started with a first-period marker. The Kings tied it 1-1 with a goal late in the period, but the Tyees scored three unanswered goals in the second to take control
Frank scored back-to-back goals in the second period, including the unassisted game-winner, and Baker added the insurance score.
Parker finished with two assists and Evan Billard chipped in a helper in the win.
