The Vernon Vipers duo of Cameron MacDonald and Dawson Holt went wild against Wenatchee Wednesday.
The linemates combined for five goals and nine points as Vernon beat the Wild 6-4 in front of 1,559 fans at Kal Tire Place in Game 4 of the B.C. Hockey League Interior Division quarterfinal.
The Snakes, who have beaten Wenatchee in four straight home playoff dates going back to 2019, have a three-games-to-one lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 5 goes Friday in Washington state. Game 6, if necessary, would be back at Kal Tire Place Sunday afternoon, March 8, at 2 p.m.
The Wild jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead Wednesday on goals from Quinn Emerson and Noah Lugli. Connor Sleeth got his second of the series at 17:19 to get the Vipers on the board.
READ MORE: Vernon Vipers double Wild, take series lead
Then came the Holt-MacDonald show.
Holt scored at 5:27 and 9:20 to give Vernon a lead it would not relinquish, and MacDonald scored his first at 18:58 to give the Snakes a 4-2 lead after 40 minutes.
Brian Adams pulled the Wild to within a goal with a shorthanded marker at 4:32. MacDonald restored Vernon’s two-goal edge at 8:50.
Wenatchee wouldn’t go away and make things tense when Tyler Young scored at 19:02. With the Wild net empty, MacDonald completed his hattrick at 19:30.
Connor Marritt added four assists for the Vipers, who got a stellar 31-save effort from Reilly Herbst in goal. Daniel Chenard also made numerous big saves in the Wild net, finishing with 25 stops.
The winner of this series will play Penticton in a conference semifinal. The Vees eliminated the pesky West Kelowna Warriors with a 5-4 overtime win at the South Okanagan Events Centre Wednesday, taking the series in five games. Carson Kosobud got the series winner 2:22 into the extra session. Jackson Niedermeyer forced overtime for Penticton with a goal at 18:30 of the third period.
The Trail Smoke Eaters will play the Salmon Arm Silverbacks in the other conference semi.
roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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