After a thrilling overtime victory in game one against Powell River at the Brindy, the KLP Construction Bantam A Tyees crossed the pond last weekend with a strong desire to end the best-of-three series on the road and become Island champions.
The first half of game two mimicked the opening game, with the goaltenders at both ends of the ice seemingly unstoppable.
With goals at a premium, the goalless drought had many feeling like the next goal could be the winning goal. It wasn’t until the last couple of minutes of the second period when Grady Robertson feathered a pass from behind the net to Jory Swanson in the slot to give Campbell River the all-important first goal.
Cody Savey and Clinton Nelson assisted on a River Fahey tally six minutes into the final stanza to provide the Tyees with what inevitably turned out to be the game winner.
With Powell River realizing the clock was becoming their enemy, the Kings understandably began taking chances. As is often the case, when one team is forced to take chances, the game opens up for both teams. With scoring chances exchanged analogous to punches in a good ol’ Creed-Balboa prizefight, the Tyees were able to take advantage of their opportunities and blow the game wide open.
With just under 13 minutes remaining in the game, Riley Billy looked up and fed a beautiful pass to Jory Swanson, who skated in on the Kings’ goalie uncontested to score while on a breakaway. Cody Savey then ripped a hard wrist shot from the top of the slot past the goalie to increase the lead to 4-0. A second tally by Fahey and a single by Logan Chapdelaine with just three minutes remaining brought the Tyees’ goal total to an unconverted touchdown.
With a Tyee shutout being the only thing still in jeopardy, an unchecked Kings forward was left alone just long enough to slide a puck past the outstretched right pad of goaltender Antoine Minfray, who played one of his strongest games of the season in what was arguably the Tyees’ biggest win of the season.
With the goal of becoming Island champions fulfilled, the Tyees now prepare to play on an even greater stage at the provincial tournament, commencing Sunday, March 13 in Salmon Arm and concluding March 16.