The B.C. Hockey League’s Interior Division semifinals are now best-of-three affairs, following hometown wins by the Wenatchee Wild and Trail Smoke Eaters Wednesday.
In Washington, the Wild hammered the Vernon Vipers 7-1, while in Trail, the Smokies scored three times in the final six minutes to double the Penticton Vees 6-3.
Both series are tied 2-2 with the home team having won each contest.
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Game 5 in the Vipers-Wild series is Friday at 7 p.m. at Kal Tire Place, with both teams boarding their buses for Game 6 in Wenatchee Saturday.
Game 7, if needed, would be Monday in Vernon.
Josh Morton and Sam Arnold each scored twice for Wenatchee, who chased Vipers starting goalie Ty Taylor after 40 minutes with a 4-1 cushion. The Wild scored three in the third on former teammate Anthony Yamnitsky.
Josh Latta had the only goal for Vernon, who played Game 4 without five regulars in the lineup due to injury and suspension.
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Austin Park made 19 saves for the win.
At Cominco Arena, Seth Barton snapped a 3-3 tie at 14:05 of the third period with his first playoff goal for the Smoke Eaters. Tyler Ghirardosi added insurance at 17:16 and Ross Armour scored into an empty net at 19:22.
After falling behind 1-0, Trail rattled off three straight goals to take a 3-1 lead into the third. Goals 22 second apart early in the third from Jonny Tychonick and Lukas Sillinger tied things for the Vees.
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