Kelowna Chiefs' forward Jordan Salahor slams Osoyoos Coyotes' defencemen Beau Browning into the boards during Game 5 of the best-of-seven series at the Sun Bowl Arena on Thursday, March 1. With a goal in the dying seconds of the third period, the Chiefs took Game 5 by a score of 5-4. Game 6 will be played Friday night in Rutland, where a loss for the pack will mean the end of their KIJHL season. On the other hand, a win for the Coyotes would force a Game 7, which would be played in Osoyoos Saturday night at 7:35 p.m. Photo by Mathew White.
For the second game in a row, the Osoyoos Coyotes suffered a heartbreaking loss at the hands of the Kelowna Chiefs and as a result they face elimination Friday night in their first-round playoff series.
With the pack hosting the Chiefs at the Sun Bowl Arena Thursday night, it all came down to the last two minutes of play. With 1:25 left on the clock, the Chiefs blasted in a rebound shot that secured them the 5-4 victory, giving them a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Kelowna’s T. J. Dumonceaux opened up the scoring less than a minute into the first, but the pack answered right back with a five-hole goal by Brandon Watson. The next 14 minutes played out with nothing but a few icing calls.
Finally, with just under four minutes left in the first, the Chief’s Brent Lashuk slipped one past Cole Buckley, making it a 2-1 game going into the second period.
The second started off with a bang for the Coyotes. After 30 seconds of pounding away at the Chief’s Tyler O’Donnell, Watson banged in his second of the night, tying things at 2-2.
Minutes later, after O’Donnell tried to clear the puck, it inadvertently hit the referee’s skate and was picked up Dexter Dancs, who took it in for the pack’s third of the night, giving them the lead for the first time.
But Kelowna would answer right back, scoring on the power play to tie things up once again.
From there the Chiefs kept on the pressure and managed to secure the lead with a hat-trick goal from Lashuk, causing the Coyotes to switch out Buckley for Darren Hogg.
Steve Sasyniuk would score with his first of the night for the Coyotes to tie things up before finishing out the second period.
The first 18 and a half minutes of the third period saw nothing but close calls and failed opportunities until the late goal by Kelowna’s Scott Renner sealed the victory with only 85 seconds remaining.
Game 6 will be held in Rutland tonight, where a loss for the Coyotes will mean the end of their KIJHL season.
But if the pack wins tonight, Game 7 will be held at the Sun Bowl Arena Saturday night with the opening faceoff scheduled for 7:35 p.m.
