A blown lead has cost the West Kelowna Warriors for the second straight game as they were unable to finish Cranbrook害羞草研究所檚 season on Friday night.
Going into the Apr. 12 contest with a 3-1 series lead, the Warriors were looking for a game five victory on home ice to advance to the next round. Instead, they lost a heartbreaking game 6-5.
West Kelowna had another great start as they were up 2-0 after the first period. Johannes L酶kkeberg and Jackson Kyrkostas scored powerplay goals just under three minutes apart for the 2-0 lead.
The second period was a different story for the Warriors as the Cranbrook Bucks害羞草研究所� forwards Jack Silich and Bryce Sookro each scored to tie the game.
At the 12:00 mark of the frame, the European connection continued their great play in the series as Viggo Nordstr枚m scored a shorthanded goal, assisted by L酶kkeberg to take the lead.
But the Bucks stormed back as Silich scored his second of the game, on the powerplay, just 49 seconds after Nordstr枚m害羞草研究所檚 goal.
Less than two minutes after that, Shane Baker scored to give Cranbrook a 4-3 lead.
In the third period, Simon Houge scored his first goal of the postseason at the 8:42 mark for the Warriors to tie the game once again.
But again just 28 seconds later, Noah Urness found the back of the net, also his first of the playoffs, to regain Cranbrook害羞草研究所檚 lead.
Less than a minute later, Jaden Fodchuk scored to make the Bucks lead 6-4.
Trent Wilson scored late for the Warriors to make it 6-5 but that害羞草研究所檚 as close as they would come.
Warriors goaltender Matthew DellaRusso made 28 saves in the loss. Carter Capton made 25 saves on the win for Cranbrook.
With the win, the Bucks force game six, which takes place back in Cranbrook at Western Financial Place on Sunday, Apr. 14 at 3 p.m. Pacific time. West Kelowna still leads the series 3-2.
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