The Campbell River Peewee B Tyees pulled out a huge playoff win Saturday against the visiting Cowichan Valley Capitals at Rod Brind’Amour Arena in a game that saw the goal lights go off a whopping 16 times.
The teams battled right through to the final buzzer and when that sound rang out, the Tyees celebrated a well-deserved 9-7 victory.
Cowichan Valley opened the scoring half way through the first period, but the Tyees would rally with four unanswered goals of their own from Gareth MacDonald, Kessler Frazee, Nic LaPierre and Carter Banman, looking like they were ready to put the game beyond the reach of the visiting team from down Island.
The second period went somewhat the other way, however, as the scrappy Cowichan Valley squad potted four goals to Campbell River’s two in that frame, keeping the game close heading into the final period of play.
And what a final period it was.
Both teams went back and forth, neither seeming to be able to gain the upper hand on the other until Cowichan’s Garrett Burch solved the Tyees defence halfway through the frame to tie the game at six.
Then with only three minutes left to play, the Tyees celebrated what felt like the game winner as Cole McIntosh found the back of the net after a scramble in front of Cowichan goaltender Logan Elzinga.
But it was not to be. Cowichan streaked down the ice after winning the ensuing face-off and Captials forward Benny Stocks ripped a laser of a wristshot past Campbell River’s Matthew Sanchez low on the stick side only 10 seconds after the McIntosh goal to tie the game at seven with only two minutes left to play.
Then, with only 18 seconds left in the game, Banman notched his second unassisted goal of the day as he streaked down the right wing and fired a shot high on Elzinga’s glove side. Elzinga caught a piece of it, but it bounced over his trapper and under the crossbar.
Mackintosh would add another into the now-empty Cowichan net after the ensuing face-off to complete his hat trick.