In Vernon it was all Vipers as they skated to a commanding 7-1 win over the Westside Warriors as they took a 3-2 series lead.
The first period was what playoff hockey is all about: fast skating, hard hitting and highlight reel saves on both ends, but neither team could solve each others respective goaltender.
Kevin Boyle and Kirby Halcrow continued their goaltending battle until the halfway mark of the second stanza.
Max French got hauled down in the offensive zone, no call was made, and Marcus Basara sped the other way on a breakaway Boyle stopped. After the ensuing faceoff it was all downhill from there for Westside.
The Vipers won the draw and David Robinson lifted one past Boyle to make it 1-0.
Michael Zalewski, Patrick McGillis and Darren Nowick all scored for the Vipers to give them a healthy 4-0 lead heading into the third.
The Vipers went 1-for-5 with the man advantage through two frames, while the Warriors were held to just two power-plays awarded from referee Steve Papp.
Boyle, the Warriors star of the second round, left the game after McGillis made it 3-0 Vipers with under six minutes to go in the frame. He was replaced by Cole Holowenko. Boyle did not return to the bench.
The Warriors luck didn?t get much better in the third as McGillis popped his second of the night early in the frame to put the game out of reach after stealing the puck and scoring on a breakaway.
Then at the seven minute mark Alex Grieve would get ejected for a very questionable elbowing call. At that point it seemed the Warriors couldn?t do anything right in this game as they were also served a bench minor.
Vernon would score two power-play goals on their ensuing power-plays and make it 7-0, much to the chagrin of over 100 Warriors fans in attendance.
With one minute to go Ryan Renz of Vernon decided to add salt to the Warriors wounds and stuck his knee out on a vicious attack on Westside forward Tyler Krause.
Krause lay motionless for several minutes as Athletic Therapist Mike Bois attended to him. Krause would need help leaving the ice after rising to his feet.
Michael King would defend his teammate using his long reach to by one-punch Renz to the ice.
Tyler French scored the lone goal for the Warriorsn and broke Halcrow?s shutout bid.
The Warriors now face elimination Tuesday night in Westside.
Game time is 7pm at Royal LePage Place.
