Duncan, BC: Connor Marritt scored in the final few minutes of regulation to force overtime, but it was a Tyrell Boucher goal in the extra period that gave the Capitals a 4-3 win.
The Vipers and Caps both got off to solid starts with lots of back and forth action. The Vipers drew first blood while shorthanded as Dawson Holt picked the pocket of Ben Howard and tucked it on a wraparound to make it 1-0 with the teams 2nd shorthanded goal of the season. While on the same powerplay, Matthew Crasa would re-direct a slap pass from Luc Wilson from the high slot over the shoulder of Reilly Herbst to make it 1-1. Shots would finish even in the period at 11-11.
In the second the entertaining affair continued as Dawson Holt, Connor Marritt and Matt Kowalski all had grade A looks at the net but couldn’t get past the crossbar or Ben Howard. Not to be outdone, Reilly Herbst made a spectacular save reaching behind him to pull a puck off the goal line to keep it even at 1 after 2 periods.
In the third, the scoring broke open as Trey Taylor gave his team their second lead of the night deflecting a pass from Matt Kowalski through Howard to make it 2-1 on the powerplay. The Capitals responded shortly afterwards as Olivier Gauthier deflected a point shot through Herbst to make it 2-2. Cowichan would take the lead on a powerplay as Matt Crasa was set up again from below the red line as he’d snap one past Herbst making it 3-2. No strangers to being down by that margin in a third period, the Vipers pushed for the equalizer and would get it as Connor Marritt tipped in a Matt Kowalski point shot make it 3-3 late.
There would only be one shot in overtime as Tyrell Boucher came down the right wing and beat Herbst to give Cowichan the extra point and a 4-3 win.
The Vipers will end the weekend in Surrey on Sunday afternoon for a 4 pm puck drop at the South Surrey Arena.
