Hawks, Chiefs advance to KIJHL final after posting five-game Conference series wins
By The Nelson Daily Sports
The Beaver Valley Nitehawks will play the Kelowna Chiefs for the big prize in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League.
The Hawks booked a ticket to the KIJHL Final by stopping the Fernie Ghostriders 6-2 Friday in Fruitvale to capture the Kootenay Conference Title in five games.
The Chiefs needed a little heroics but also managed to advance to the league final in five games, getting an overtime goal by Brent Lashuk in the second extra frame to eliminate the Sicamous Eagles 4-3 Friday in Rutland.
No dates have been released on the start of the upcoming final that will begin in Fruitvale after the Hawks won the KIJHL regular season crown.
Dallas Calvin led the charge for the Hawks with a pair of goals.
Beaver Valley held period leads of 3-1 and 5-2 despite being outshot by the Riders 30-26.
Zach Perehudoff out dueled Fraser Abdallah to grab the win in goal as Beaver Valley head coach Terry Jones continued to rotate the netminders in the playoffs.
Josh Peters, veteran forward Justin Niminiken, rookie Craig Martin and Derek Lashuk also scored for Beaver Valley which connected twice on the power play.
Beaver Valley 12-4-0-1 in the post season advanced to the final with Murdoch Division wins over Spokane and rival Castlegar, the latter in seven games.
Chiefs keep red-hot playoff streak alive
Sicamous twice battled back from deficits to force overtime in the Okanagan Conference Final.
Connor Buick forced the extra time with a goal in the final six minutes of the third period.
Tarren Cavanaugh and Nathan Grieve scored twice in a span of two minutes to erase a 2-0 deficit.
T.J. Dumonceaux restored the Kelowna lead on the power play less than a minute later but Buick completed a wild final four-minute span with the tying marker.
Kelowna out shot the Eagles by a wide 81-39 mark, including a 29-9 margin in overtime.
Former Nelson Leafs Landon Andrusiak and Dane Rupert and Kyle Clerk each finished with two points for Kelowna.
Kelowna, 26-22-0-4 and finishing fourth in the Okanagan Division of the Okanagan Conference, continue to be red hot in the playoffs.
The Chiefs have knocked off defending KIJHL champion Osoyoos Coyotes, Princeton Posse and the Eagles for a 12-4 record in the playoffs.
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