The LaSalle Vipers scored four straight goals in their 6-3 win over the Sarnia Legionnaires Saturday night at the Vollmer Complex.
LaSalle now takes a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven Western Conference quarterfinal series.
The Legionnaires scored first thanks to a power-play connection from Jake Vince at 6:33 of the opening period. LaSalle came back with back-to-back goals for a 2-1 lead after 20 minutes. Zane Dalpe scored the equalizer at 13:52 and A.J. Ryan's power-play goal soon after provided the Vipers with the advantage.
The Vipers extended their lead in the second period thanks to goals by Brett Vorshuk and Stephane Crevier, both on the power play. Sarnia got one of those goals back with Alec DeKoning with the extra-man advantage, but LaSalle regained the three-goal lead before the end of the frame thanks to Kory Silverio. Legionnaires goalie Jakob Knowles was pulled after the period for backup Nolan DeKoning.
LaSalle continued to score on the power play when Jack Bowler found the net late in the third period. Logan McLinchey scored soon after for the Legionnaires but the Vipers had wrapped it by then.
Jackson Bernard had 22 saves in goal for the Vipers. Knowles and Nolan DeKoning stopped 28 shots between them.
Game 3 of the series is Sunday night at Sarnia Arena.
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Wyatt O'Neill fired a no-doubter in overtime as the Leamington Flyers beat the Rockets 4-3 in Strathroy.
The Game 2 win for the Flyers evens their best-of-seven series at a game apiece.
Leamington appeared to shake off the Game 1 cobwebs when Josh King scored at 38 seconds into the opening period, but they then fell into penalty trouble. Strathroy took advantage with back-to-back power-play goals from T.J. Harris, the first at 4:35, the second just over a minute later.
Ryan Gagnier evened the score for Leamington with the only goal of the middle period.
The Flyers took a 3-2 lead in the third period with a Michael Andrews goal, but another Harris score for Strathroy not only brought him a hat trick, it forced overtime. O'Neill's winner was scored for Leamington at 1:18 of the overtime period.
Zach Borgiel completed most of the game in net for the Flyers, but backup goalie Ryan Polidori completed it. Together they had 24 saves. Vince Michelizzi stopped 39 shots for Strathroy.
Game 3 is Sunday night at the Kinsmen Centre in Leamington.
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Christian Polillo scored two in the third period to give the London Nationals a 4-1 win over the St. Thomas Stars at the Western Fair Centre.
The Nationals now take a commanding 3-0 lead in their playoff series and can go for the sweep in St. Thomas on Tuesday night.
The Stars took a quick lead when Jake Wieringa scored at 1:42. St. Thomas held a slight 12-11 lead over the Nationals in shots during the first period.
The middle stanza belonged to London. James Turner and Wes Dobbin scored the respective tying and go-ahead goals for a 2-1 London lead after 40 minutes. Polillo's goals in the third were the only two scored in the final 20 minutes, the latter being an empty-netter after Stars goalie Anthony Hurtubise was pulled for the extra attacker.
Zachary Springer faced 18 shots in goal for London and stopped 17. Hurtubise had 35 saves for the Stars.