Generals forward Jacob Thomas makes a centering pass in game three of the VIJHL Final at Oceanside Place. (Gus Galloway Photography)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Preds respond

Predators down Generals in overtime, Oceanside leads VIJHL Final 2-1

Apr 3, 2023 | 8:44 AM

PARKSVILLE — The Saanich Predators came through with a critical win to get themselves back into the league final with the Oceanside Generals.

A Jack Westhaver powerplay goal at the 5:08 mark of the first overtime session lifted Saanich to a 4-3 in game three of the VIJHL Final.

Despite being outplayed, Saanich never trailed in the game in which Jaden Vanderlee supplied the visitors with strong goaltending.

Oceanside outshot Saanich 44-21.

Scoring for Oceanside was Jacob Thomas, Brady Van Herk and Ben Groome.

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Marko Tokic, Hunter Jensen and Tarik Borhot were the other Saanich goal scorers.

Colten Thompon and Michael Hoekstra each had two assists for Saanich, while Carter Johnson had a pair of helpers for the hosts.

Saanich was 1/3 on the powerplay, while the Generals went 0/3.

Vanderlee was sensational in goal for Saanich, who saw his first action in the series Sunday night.

Vanderlee made 41 saves.

Matthew Hutchison made 17 stops in goal for Oceanside.

It was another huge crowd at Oceanside Place with 1,152 fans in attendance.

Game four takes place Tuesday, April 4 at George Pearkes Recreation Centre in Saanich at 7:30 p.m.

The series shifts back to Parksville for game five on Wednesday, April 5 for 7:15 faceoff.

Oceanside won the first two games of the series convincingly by scores of 6-2 and 4-1.

The Sunday night setback for Oceanside was just the team’s second loss in the last 34 games.

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