With the odds stacked against them, the Prince George Spruce Kings knew they had to play a near perfect game to keep their season alive.
Unfortunately, they fell one goal short.
An Adam Eisele deflection off of a Josh Nadeau point shot proved to be the difference maker as the Penticton Vees escaped with a hard-fought 3-2 victory on Tuesday in front of 943 fans at the Rolling Mix Concrete Arena.
The Vees sweep the best-of-seven Interior Conference semi-final series 4-0 and will play either the West Kelowna Warriors (who lead the series 3-0) or the Salmon Arm Silverbacks.
Turnovers continued to be the Achilles heel for the Spruce Kings. Less than two minutes into the first, Aaron Trotter was forced to make a spectacular save on Bradly Nadeau after Dylan Schives got checked off the puck inside his own line, which turned into a 2-on-1.
Nadeau would find the scoresheet a few minutes later off an odd-man rush beating Trotter for an early 1-0 edge.
Overage forward Rowan Miller zapped the life back into the Spruce Kings ten minutes later as a point shot by Nick Marciano found the backhand of the Arizona product who deflected it off Penticton goalie Kaeden Lane.
After a scoreless second with the game still at 1-1, the Vees showed their championship pedigree once again as a hard back check by Luc Wilson forced Ben LeFranc to go off balance and turnover the puck.
Thomas Pichette scored his second goal in as many games on the RMCA ice lifting it past Trotter for a 2-1 lead.
Similar to Monday, with his team down by a pair and facing elimination, Spruce Kings head coach Alex Evin pulled Trotter in favour of the extra attacker.
That decision paid off again as a blast from the point by Josh Wright was kicked aside by Lane but was later banged home on the rebound by Miller.
However, PG would be unable to cash in again during the game’s final minute, thus dashing their season.
Penticton outshot the Spruce Kings 30-29.
The heartbreaking defeat turned out to be the final junior hockey game for Kolton Cousins, Wright, Schives, Luc Laylin, Nick Rheaume (NCAA), Trotter (NCAA) and Miller (NCAA).
In other action, the Nanaimo Clippers punched their ticket to round three after a 1-0 win over the Chilliwack Chiefs.
Keighan Gerrie scored the game-winner at 15:39 of the third period.
Elsewhere, the Alberni Valley Bulldogs slipped past the Langley Rivermen 2-1, to trim Langley’s best-of-seven series lead to 2-1.
Game four is set for tonight (Wednesday) in Langley.
West Kelowna also hosts Salmon Arm.
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