Chiefs rally to oust Steam

It looked for 20 minutes like the Summerland Steam might win yet again in Kelowna and force a Game 6 in the KIJHL Okanagan Division championship series.

But the Kelowna Chiefs special teams went to work and rallied for a 4-2 win to end the Steam’s season Thursday at the Rutland Arena.

Devin Sutton scored twice and the Chiefs scored twice on power plays and once on a penalty shot to win the best-of-seven series 4-1.

Ryan Stack and Lane Paddison had the other goals and playoff scoring leader Brody Dale tacked on three helpers as the regular-season champion Chiefs advanced to play the Revelstoke Grizzlies in the Okanagan-Shuswap Conference final.

Bevis Chou and Lane French scored in a 47-second span in the first period as the Steam – who took the series opener in Kelowna and won twice there in the regular season – opened up a 2-0 lead.

But Stack scored on a penalty shot, Sutton tied it and Paddison put the Chiefs ahead 3-2 with 3:54 left in the second period.

The Steam, outshot 35-34 in the contest, fought valiantly in the third before Sutton scored an emptynet goal with 1:59 to go in the game.

The Chiefs host Revelstoke in Games 1 and 2 Tuesday and Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Rutland Arena in what should be a thrilling series. Revelstoke has won eight straight playoff games after a 42-6-1 regular season, while the Chiefs are 8-1 in the playoffs.

The Kootenay Conference final pits the Kimberley Dynamiters against the Beaver Valley Nite Hawks. The Hawks won 4-1 Saturday in Fruitvale to complete the 4-2 upset of the division champion Nelson Leafs.

Nelson had forced a Game 6 by winning 3-0 at home on Friday. Games 1 and 2 go Tuesday and Wednesday in Kimberley.

As incredible as the Chiefs were to go 43-3-1-2 in the regular season, Kimberley is even hotter right now having won eight straight playoff games and 22 games overall dating back to a 2-1 loss in Nelson on Jan. 11.

Kimberley finished just one point behind Kelowna at 43-4-1-1.