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Storm’s timely penalty kill, quick markers give them 4-1 victory

Campbell River now just one win away in advancing in VIJHL playoffs
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Forward Justin Gyori buries an empty net goal late in the third period, to give the Campbell River Storm a 4-1 victory Friday night and a three games to none series lead. Photo Edward Hitchins/Campbell River Mirror

The Campbell River Storm are now just a win away from advancing in the VIJHL playoffs.

Buoyed by a pair for first period goals and a solid penalty kill, the Storm cruised to a 4-1 victory over the rival Comox Valley Glacier Kings Friday night at Rod Brind’Amour Arena.

The Storm now lead the series three games to none, but coach Jordan Rauser knows that his team still faces a desperate team on Saturday night, and with that desperation, he knows the Comox Valley will be coming to play.

“To be up three-0 is big, but to be playing the right way is more important,” Rauser said after the final whistle. “We just got to take it game by game and focus on the next one. Sixty minutes zero zero we’ll focus on trying to win the first shift, trying to get a lead.”

READ MORE: Storm coach Rauser: even being up two games, “every game is important”

Kye Benoche opened the scoring for the storm, taking a pass from Justin Gyori at just under the halfway mark of the first period, burying it past Steven Reid to give Campbell River the early one goal lead. Benoche scored his second of the contest almost eight minutes later, and the Storm headed into the locker room after twenty minutes up to.

The Glacier Kings refused to lay down, scoring just under two minutes of the second on a goal by forward Tynan-Klein Beekman, crashing the net and depositing it just behind goaltender Nick Peters. However, the storm regained a two goal advantage, thanks to another power play marker, from forward Mitchell Finner. The Storm are now four for 11 this series with the man advantage.

Justin Gyori scored an empty netter in the third to seal the victory.

Key to the win was Peters, who stopped 35 of 36 shots in the win.

“He earned every one of those saves,” said Rauser. “The timeliness of those saves was key too. He made a couple of saves on big opportunities for them. We’re lucky to have Pete there, and he did his thing, keeping us in it the whole night.”

Game four of the series goes tomorrow night at the Comox Valley Sports Centre. Puck drop is at 7:30 pm.


Edward Hitchins
edward.hitchins@campbellrivermirror.com

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