A gritty Wenatchee comeback from a 3-0 deficit wasn’t enough to finish the job as the Cowichan Valley Capitals managed to pull out a 5-3 win in Tuesday’s Game 3 in Duncan, BC to take a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 4 is Wednesday in Duncan before shifting to Wenatchee for Game 5 on Friday.

Wenatchee vs Cowichan Valley Capitals,photos by Corey Shaw ISN
Wenatchee vs Cowichan Valley Capitals,photos by Corey Shaw ISN

The Capitals took a 1-0 lead in the last minute of the first period when a breakout pass got caught up in a Wild players skates and Brady Lynn was able to find it and snap it home. Cowichan Valley added a second goal when Cole Broadhurst drilled a shot out of the right circle through a screen, and Niko Selivanov picked the top corner glove side from the left circle after a failed zone clearing attempt.

Wenatchee vs Cowichan Valley Capitals,photos by Corey Shaw ISN
Wenatchee vs Cowichan Valley Capitals,photos by Corey Shaw ISN

Trailing 3-0, Wenatchee brought in Cal Sandquist to relieve Austin Park at the 8:18 mark. Lucas Sowder gave the Wild a spark when he buried a rebound just moments after the media timeout. Then in the final minute of the second, Nathan Iannone roofed a wraparound feed from Brian Adams and it was a 3-2 game after 40 minutes. The comeback was complete when Trevor Griebel drove home a crossing feed from Sowder to cap off a lengthy sequence of sustained offensive zone pressure, tying the game at 3-3 with 10:20 left to play in the third.

Wenatchee vs Cowichan Valley Capitals,photos by Corey Shaw ISN
Wenatchee vs Cowichan Valley Capitals,photos by Corey Shaw ISN

The Wild defense had stiffened, and the Capitals had just 2 shots on goal over the last 11 minutes of the second, and zero in the third for 13 minutes.

Wenatchee vs Cowichan Valley Capitals,photos by Corey Shaw ISN
Wenatchee vs Cowichan Valley Capitals,photos by Corey Shaw ISN

The first Capitals shot of the period was a no-look backhand whack from Paul Selleck after a Brady Lynn shot was blocked, and it found the back of the net to make it 4-3 Capitals, who would later add an empty netter for the final 5-3 margin. Wenatchee outshot Cowichan Valley, 31-19.

Wenatchee vs Cowichan Valley Capitals8
Wenatchee vs Cowichan Valley Capitals,photos by Corey Shaw ISN

The best-of-seven series is now 2-1 in favor of Cowichan Valley and Game 4 is at Island Savings Centre on Wednesday night. Game 5 returns to Wenatchee on Friday March 22.