BURSTSmithers Steelheads opened the East Conference finals with a 5-3 loss to the Quesnel Kangaroos on Feb. 28 at the Smithers Civic Centre, despite two goals from Dylan Oud that kept the game within reach until the final minute.
Quesnel took control early. About 10 minutes into the first period, Tanner Cochrane scored to give the visitors a 1-0 lead, with assists from Eli Jarvis and Alessio Tomassetti.
Late in the period, penalties slowed Quesnel’s pace. Kevin Fillier was called for hooking with roughly four minutes remaining, and Matthew Tucker was assessed an interference minor soon after. Smithers’ Landon Kitchen was also penalized for illegal equipment at that point, resulting in four-on-four play to close the frame.
The Kangaroos extended their lead less than a minute into the second period when Cochrane scored again, this time assisted by Alessio Tomassetti.
Smithers responded a few minutes later with their first goal of the game as Oud found the net to cut the deficit to one. Midway through the period, Jonathan Creswell scored with help from Kodi Schwarz to make it a one-goal game.
With just over three minutes left in the second, Josh Maser restored Quesnel’s two-goal cushion, finishing a play set up by Jesse Pomeroy.
The third period opened with a confrontation and a series of penalties, but Jesse Pomeroy scored early in the third to extend Quesnel’s lead to 4-2.
Midway through the period, Smithers ran into more penalty trouble, including an interference call to Creswell and a cross-checking minor to Ethan Perry. When Colton Thon was sent off for tripping with about eight minutes remaining, followed soon after by a roughing penalty to Allbee, Smithers capitalized.
On the power play, with just over five minutes left, Oud scored his second of the night, assisted by Schwarz and Perry, pulling the Steelheads within one.
Smithers pressed for the equalizer in the final minutes, but with less than a minute remaining, Maser unassisted scored his second point of the game to seal Quenel’s 5-3 win.
The series now shifts to Quesnel for Game 2 this weekend.