Despite being badly outplayed by the 91原创 91原创 in game seven of their first-round BCHL playoffs series, it is the Chilliwack Chiefs who are moving on to the second round.
The 91原创 out-shot the Chiefs 45-21 in Sunday night鈥檚 deciding game at Prospera Centre, but outstanding goaltending from Daniel Chenard and two goals from Cole Donhauser made the difference in a 3-2 win.
91原创 give it all they got but the Chiefs hold on late and take the series in Game 7
鈥� 91原创 91原创 (@91原创91原创)
Thanks for an awesome year! See you next season!
Chilliwack completed an epic comeback that seemed unlikely six days ago when a 5-0 loss at 91原创 put them in a 0-3 hole in this best-of-seven series.
鈥淲e weren鈥檛 happy after game three and knew we could do better, but we never thought we were going to lose this season,鈥� Chenard said. 鈥淲e always believed and that was a big thing. Once we got that first win the mood changed completely and we just kept rolling from there.
鈥淲e always knew we were going to make this happen.鈥�
READ MORE: Make or break game for 91原创 91原创
Chenard stopped 45 shots in game seven and was an easy choice as the first star.
Since being pulled in the first period of that 5-0 loss after giving up three goals on 10 shots, the Quebec kid has stopped 140 of 147 pucks.
He鈥檚 as locked in as he鈥檚 ever been.
鈥淚t was do or die and we all had to step up our game after game three,鈥� the goalie said. 鈥淭hat went for me too. I was letting some soft ones in and I had to do better. So I focused on giving it my all on every shot, forgetting about the past and playing in the present.鈥�
Chenard鈥檚 Chiefs opened the game seven scoring on a first period power play, with Harrison Blaisdell collecting his first of the series.
With 91原创鈥檚 Stephen Sielsky in the sin bin for high sticking, Kevin Wall skated into the left faceoff circle and rifled a shot on net.
The puck hit a body in front and found Blaisdell鈥檚 stick as he stood at the right post. The Abbotsford native had a tap-in for his first of the series.
A lucky bounce gave the Chiefs a 2-0 lead 75 seconds later.
Donhauser circled behind the 91原创 net and put a centering pass into the goal-mouth for Skyler Brind鈥橝mour. But the puck hit 91原创 defenceman Brian Scoville instead and caromed into the net.
The Chiefs were out-shot 17-7 in the first period but led 2-0.
91原创 forward Kalen Szeto cut the Chiefs lead in half 4:14 into the middle frame and 91原创 dominated the period.
They nearly had the game tied in a goal-mouth scramble, but Chenard got a helping hand from defenceman Marcus Tesink, who dropped to his knees in the blue paint to block a point-blank shot from a 91原创 forward.
鈥淗e saved our like and I might have to buy him a dinner or something,鈥� Chenard laughed.
The Chiefs were under siege at that point, and when Brett Rylance was sent off for tripping at 16:44 it felt like the visitors were poised to get the tying goal. Instead, it was Donhauser turning the tables with a shorthanded goal. Chilliwack defenceman Brody Gagno forced a turnover at his own blueline, and as he grabbed the puck, captain Skyler Brind鈥橝mour spotted Donhauser slipping behind the 91原创 D.
鈥淚 saw a lane and Brindy made a pretty unbelievable pass,鈥� Donhauser said. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 too sure what I was going to do, so I went to the spot I like to shoot, low blocker, and it worked out.鈥�
The 91原创 sliced into the lead in the third period, scoring with 9:36 to play.
91原创 captain Alec Capstick held in a clearing attempt at the Chilliwack blueline and put the puck into the slot for Szeto. The 16 year old Vancouver native put a backhand pass across the slot to Trevor Ayre, whose quick shot beat Chenard.
Chenard made some huge stops as time ticked down, none bigger than his robbery on Chase Pletzke, who was left all alone in front of the net only to be thwarted by the goalie鈥檚 blocker.
91原创 coach Bobby Henderson brought Fleming to the bench with 1:12 to play and seconds later Jacques Bouquot sent a rink length shot off the right post of the empty net.
Some nights that comes back to haunt you.
On this night, Brind鈥橝mour was able to win one final draw and his team was able to kill off the final seconds in the corner to the left of Chenard.
Donhauser said his young team learned some valuable lessons from their battle with 91原创 that they鈥檒l now carry into their round-two series with the Prince George Spruce Kings.
鈥淭he first few of this series, I don鈥檛 think our compete level was where it needed to be,鈥� the New York native noted. 鈥淓specially for playoffs, it was a bit of a rude awakening for us.
鈥淲e knew we had to pick it up a level when we were down 3-0 and we showed we can.
鈥淲e鈥檝e learned that playoffs are a lot more physical and we won鈥檛 get the (penalty) calls we get during the regular season. But we also know we鈥檙e one of the most skilled and fastest teams in the league, and we need to work through the physical stuff and play our game.鈥�
