The Chilliwack Chiefs have been eliminated from the BC Hockey League playoffs after a four-game sweep by the Alberni Valley Bulldogs.
It’s the second year in a row that the Chiefs have been swept out of the playoffs by the Bulldogs.
It was the Bulldogs who scored first on Wednesday, April 24, with Mason Croucher grabbing a powerplay goal just 3:11 into the game. A few minutes later, Jacob Terpstra doubled the lead for the Bulldogs, but Chilliwack’s Parker Murray scored a powerplay goal before the end of the period to pull within one.
The second period was mostly scoreless, until a late Chilliwack penalty led to a powerplay goal by Bulldogs forward Matt Kursonis, giving the Bulldogs a 3-1 lead heading into the third.
The Chiefs pulled their goalie in the third period and managed to score with the extra attacker, cutting the Bulldogs’ lead to 3-2. But the Chiefs found themselves on the penalty kill shortly afterwards and were unable to tie things up in the dying minutes of the game.
Chilliwack goaltender Vladimir Nikitin made 27 saves in the loss, while Bulldogs goaltender Callum Tung made 24 saves.
Next, the Bulldogs are headed to the Coastal Conference Finals, where they will face the winners of the series between the Surrey Eagles and Victoria Grizzlies. That series is currently tied 2-2.