The VIJHL North Division semi-final series between the Comox Valley Glacier Kings and the Campbell River Storm won’t be a clean sweep.
With their backs to the ropes and facing elimination, Comox Valley got rapid fire markers in the first and second periods, shelling Storm goaltender Nick Peters with 39 shots en route in a 4-1 win Saturday night at the Comox Valley Sports Centre.
Hometown hero Aodhan Hildebrandt opened the scoring just 5:17 in the game, depositing it past Peters on a pass by Alex Bend. Campbell River tied the game over seven minutes after, when defenceman Sean Meehan scored his first of the playoffs, putting it by net-minder Steven Reganato to knot the game at one apiece.
READ MORE: Storm’s timely penalty kill, quick markers give them 4-1 victory
That was all the offense the Storm could unfortunately muster. Another quick goal from rookie Jason Gusavitch put Comox Valley back on top just one minute and 25 seconds into the second period with his second goal of this series . Sharpshooters Nick Esposito and Logan Furlong scored just two minutes apart late in the second period to put the game out of reach, with forward Brady Esterbrook and defenceman Jean-Michael Gilbert getting into a tilt which resulted in a 10 game misconduct for the Campbell River Storm player.
Unable to chip into that lead, the Storm took a pair of costly penalties in the third. Carter De Boer being tossed five minutes in the final frame, on a call of a check from behind. Quinn Messer took a seperate boarding penalty with about five minutes to play.
Neither penalty cost the team in the end, but the clock struck zero for the Storm to sweep their rivals.
The one takeaway Campbell River for game four was the penalty kill: already 0-for-10 with the man advantage, Comox went 0 for 3 this evening to stretch its dry run for another game.
But it’s a game the Glacier Kings certainly earned, as they now live to fight for another day. Game five will take place at the Rod Brind’Amour arena Tuesday. Puck drop is at 7:30 PM
Edward Hitchins
edward.hitchins@campbellrivermirror.com
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