The Westside Warriors have moved within a game of advancing to the second round of the BCHL playoffs following a convincing 5-1 victory over the Trail Smoke Eaters Thursday.
The Warriors dominated the Smoke Eaters in all facets of the game over the first 40 minutes to grab a 3-2 lead in the best-of-five series.
Game six is in Trail Friday night.
Max French, Alex Grieve, Shawn Hochhausen, Tyler Krause and Brayden Sherbinin all scored for the Warriors. Cullen Bradshaw replied for Trail.
The Warriors came out flying from the opening faceoff, using their speed to create scoring chances and physically pounding the Smokies at every opportunity.
It was definitely their best game of the playoffs and arguably their most impressive effort of the season.
The Warriors robust style led to several early penalties and an early evening for defenceman Matt Maher who was handed an automatic game misconduct for a checking from behind penalty midway through the opening period.
Westside, which allowed eight power-play goals over the first four games of the series, killed off four straight minor penalties over the first 14 minutes of the game including 90 seconds of five-on-three.
Warriors coach Darren Yopyk says killing those four penalties, especially the five-on-three, was a key to the victory.
“Hats off to our guys for blocking shots and being courageous. That's what it takes in the playoffs,” says Yopyk.
“They did a real good job. Momentum could have shifted there and we did a good job of grabbing the momentum there and running with it the rest of the game.”
The hard work finally paid off late in the period when French rifled home a shot from a sharp angle that somehow snuck over Kiefer Smiley's shoulder and under the bar.
Bradshaw tied it briefly early in the second before the Warriors scored four unanswered goals in the middle frame to take what wind was left out of the Smoke Eaters' sails.
Grieve scored what proved to be the game winner two minutes later, taking a perfect stretch pass from Grayson Downing, breaking in alone and deking Smiley before tucking the puck five-home.
After Hochhausen made it 3-1, Krause extended the lead to three tapping a rebound past Smiley.
Grieve did all the work on the goal, speeding down the left wing before cutting cross crease.
Smiley stopped the initial shot from in close but the rebound stayed their for Krause to deposit into the net.
Sherbinin closed out the scoring later in the period when his shot from the right point found a way through Smiley.
The Smokies netminder gave way to back-up Matt Larose in the third.
“I thought we did a real good job of wearing them down and getting pucks in deep. It's one more step towards where we want to be,” added Yopyk.
“I thought we competed hard and finished checks and that's been our mantra all year. I think guys are realizing it's desperation time so they're battling and competing hard.”
Where the Warriors want to be is in the Interior Conference semi-finals against the Vernon Vipers.
They have a chance to get their with a win Friday night in game six in Trail.
To do that, Yopyk says they will have to do a better job of playing disciplined and in control.
“I thought if there was anything negative tonight it's we lost our cool a little bit at times. We have to stay in control. It's a fine line between playing desperate and urgent and playing out of control and I thought at times we kind of bordered on out of control.”
If a seventh game is needed in the series it would go Saturday night back at Royal LePage Place.
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