Game 3 of the 2016 Kootenay International Junior Hockey League Championship in 100 Mile House on March 29 was a rock 'em sock 'em affair.
The Wranglers were doing 90 per cent of the rocking as they powered their way to a 5-2 victory over the Kimberley Dynamiters in front of an appreciative and noisy crowd.
The game was very tense off the get-go as the Dynamiters pushed hard for the early first goal, but Wranglers goalie Zane Steeves held the fort until his teammates took away the momentum by laying the body on the Kimberley players, including several thunderous hits that slowed the attack down.
There was no scoring in the first period, but Brett Harris (Ryan Friesen, Cole Zimmerman) opened the scoring in a goal-mouth scramble at 17:12 of the second period.
Kimberley tied the game with a Jared Marchi (Tanner Wit, Jason Richter) goal on a five-on-three power play and the score was knotted at ones at the end of 40 minutes.
The Wranglers took control in the third period with goals by Brady Ward (Zimmerman, Stephan Egan), Justin Bond (Alex Hanson, Austin Turner), Ryan Friesen (Zimmerman, Harris) on a power play, and Alex Meeker (Jaydon Gilding, Bond) on a power play.
Game 5 goes tonight at the South Cariboo Rec. Centre, starting at 7 p.m.
If necessary, games 6 and 7 will be played in Kimberley on April 2 and 3.
Read the details in the March 31 edition of the 100 Mile House Free Press.