The Aldergrove Kodiaks only need one more win to seal the first round of Junior B hockey playoffs after taking three straight wins over the Abbotsford Pilots.
The Kodiaks fell to the Pilots 4-3 in the first game Feb. 17, but followed that up with a 6-3 win the next night, both games at Aldergrove Arena. The Kodiaks followed that with two wins at MSA Arena, 4-2 on Feb. 20 and 3-2 in overtime on Feb. 21.
Game 5 is set for Wednesday, Feb. 25, 7:15 p.m. at Aldergrove Arena. Game 6, if needed, is Feb. 27 at MSA Arena.
In the Feb. 20 game the Pilots opened the scoring halfway through the first period but the Kodiaks responded twice before the period came to an end. Scoring for Aldergrove were Quinncy Leroux on a power play, assisted by Eric Wieking and Aaron Markin, and Markin, assisted by Leroux and Brandon Dolby.
The second period was scoreless but the Kodiaks took a 3-1 lead in the third before the Pilots scored their final goal of the night. Scoring for Aldergrove was Dolby, from Leroux and Markin, and then the Kodiaks sealed the night's scoring with their fourth goal, by Wieking, assisted by Cameron Davitt.
Leroux and Dolby were the game's first and second stars, respectively.
The next night Aldergrove opened the scoring on a power play 17 minutes into the first period, with Dolby notching the goal, assisted by Wyatt Versluis.
Abbotsford tied it up in the second period, and the Kodiaks and Pilots each scored one in the third to take it into overtime. Markin scored Aldergrove's second goal, assisted by Leroux.
It was Kodiak Evan Cusmano who scored the overtime winner, on a power play at 7:14 minutes, assisted by Eric Callegari and Davitt.
Kodiaks keeper Ben Giesbrecht deservedly earned the game's second star for turning aside 55 of the Pilots' 57 shots on his goal. The Kodiaks had 41 shots on goal that night.
The other half of the Harold Brittain conference playoffs is a tight race between the Mission City Outlaws and Langley Knights, with each team enjoying a pair of wins. The two teams face each other Feb. 23 at Langley and Feb. 24 at Mission, and if needed, Feb. 26 at Langley.
In the Tom Shaw conference, the North Vancouver Wolf Pack lead Delta Ice Hawks 3-0 and the Grandview Steelers are up 2-1 over the Richmond Sockeyes.