Facing elimination on home ice Saturday, the Westshore Wolves fell 5-2 to the Victoria Cougars in the Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League South semifinal.
Tyler Vanuden scored three goals and set up another for the winners, who advanced to meet the Kerry Park Islanders in the South final.
The Cougars opened up a 3-0 lead at The Q Centre on first-period goals from Grayden Hohl and Tyler Pang, and a power play marker from Vanuden with about three minutes left in the second. But the Wolves rebounded with a power play goal of their own from Tyler Carpendale just 20 seconds later.
Keiran Cardinal, driving home a shot set up by Parker Ellis and Joe Gage, made it 3-2 at the 3:45 mark of the third. But Vanuden restored the Cougars' two-goal lead just 27 seconds later.
With the Cougars holding the balance of play through the period – they outshot the Wolves 15-7 in the third and 41-26 overall – they rounded out the scoring at 18:25 with their third power play goal of the game, and Vanuden's hat trick marker.
Westshore had extended the best-of-seven series with a thrilling 5-4 overtime win in game 5 at the Esquimalt Archie Browning Arena Thursday night.
The Wolves built a 3-1 lead by the midway point of the second period, but the Cougars roared back with three straight goals of their own to take a 4-3 lead.
Jordan Guiney tied it up for the Wolves 4:34 into the third, then Ellis notched the overtime winner, his second goal of the game, 37 seconds into the extra frame.
Westshore was potent on the power play during the game, scoring three times on seven opportunities. Eamon Duffy also scored twice in the win, while Jordan Spandli made 33 saves in net.
The Cougars and Islanders, who upset the Saanich Braves in six games in the other South semifinal – Kerry Park clinched with a 7-0 win Saturday – open the final this Thursday (March 9) at 7 p.m. at Archie Browning.
editor@goldstreamgazette.com