The fourth game of the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League (VIJHL) Final was again decided by one goal, as the visiting Victoria Cougars beat the Campbell River Storm 3-2 Friday night (March 25) at the Rod Brind’Amour Arena.
The Cougars took a 1-0 lead in the first period, as Don Kolbeins scored on the powerplay, but the Storm came back to tie it 6:15 into the second when Keenan Scardina scored a powerplay goal from Colin Blake. With two goals five minutes apart (from Ryan Lawson and Aikila Sato-Gaudreau), the Cougars took the lead again and went into the third period leading 3-1.
Storm captain Gage Colpron got the home team within one when he scored 11:31 into the third period, assisted by Scardina, but the Cougars were able to hold on for the win.
The Storm outshot the Cougars 37-33 in the loss.
The Cougars’ win tied the VIJHL Final at 2-2 after the Storm won Game 3 Thursday night in Esquimalt, beating the Cougars 2-1.
All the scoring took place in the first period. Kobe Oishi gave the Storm a 1-0 lead 8:05 into the game, scoring from Josh Coblenz and Colpron, then Reece Costain made it 2-0 with an unassisted goal at the 15:29 mark. Josh Kretzschmar narrowed the Storm’s lead to one with an unassisted goal less than a minute later, but the Storm held the Cougars off the scoresheet after that.
The series heads back down to Esquimalt for Game 5, which goes Sunday, March 27 at 3:30 p.m. at the Archie Browning Sports Centre.
